1887
May 23
Concord, Massachusetts.
  Clear and hot. Wind south blowing a gale
from morning to might.
  Off in the canoe at 9 a.m. sailing, with
hardly a dip of the paddle, from the Manse
to the big pine woods below Lu Davis' hill,
laundry at Ball's Hill, and Lu Davis
on the way.
  Before starting I shot a Gray-cheeked Thrush
in the willows by the old boat house. It was
doubtless the same bird seen there yesterday.
There were two Water Thrushes with it on both 
occasions.
  Just below Flint's Bridge I ran ashore on
the marsh to fix my sail when I discovered two
snakes lying on the water's edge. Upon killing
one of them I found it black above and dull
red beneath, a rather slender snake but with
a vicious-looking head. It was about 18 inches
long. On my return about sunset I saw four
precisely similar snakes bunched so closely together
on a tussock that at first I took them for
one single animal. The largest [?] have 
been three feet long.
  Running down through the meadows I saw
two or three Water Thrushes along the banks &
heard the usual Red-wings, Bobovilles etc.
Also saw a Bittern and a Green Heron.
Spotted Sandpipers in great abundance.
  Landing at Ball's Hill I shot an Olive backed
Thrush in the hedge and a most curious
plummaged D. striata on the back of the hill.
Found a Wilson's Thrush nest with three eggs