1889
May 10
Cambridge, Mass.
Clear and hot (ther. 85[degrees] at noon) with a heavy shower of mixed
rain and hail in the afternoon.
  Yesterday the thermometer rose to 87[degrees] and as the night
was clear and fine I felt sure that there would be a
rush of migrants in to-day. Accordingly I started for
the Maple Swamp at 8 A. M. and spent the morning there.
As I drove up Sparks St. I heard two Parulas and a
Minotilla singing in Dr. Wyman's big willow. The Brickyard
Swamp was alive with birds chiefly Red-wings and Yellow
Warblers to judge from the medley of sound that came to my
ears as we passed. At Alewife Brook I got out and sent
the man back with the horse. In the big white willows that
shade the causeway were a little party of migrants including
several Yellow-rumps & Creepers (Minotilla) two [male] D. virens and
an Emp. minimus, the Warblers in full song. In the thickets
outside the medley of bird voices was fairly confusing but most
of the singers were apparently Yellow Warblers and Swamp Sparrows
with a Cat-bird or two and a few Red-wings and Song Sparrows.
[margin]Unusual heat[/margin]
[margin]To Maple Swamp[/margin]
  In the maple woods bordering the brook I found Wilson's Thrushes
(none singing), Water Thrushes in full song, two Least Flycatchers
che-lat ing at the top of their lungs, a fine old [male] Redstart,
and a Blue Jay, besides Robins and Swamp Sparrows. A
Grosbeak was singing in the distance near the Heron pool.
  The Yellow Warblers were also here as everywhere flashing
like golden meteors from tree to tree chasing one another
and singing as if they would split their little throats. I
saw no females anywhere.
  After shooting a Least Flycatcher and missing another
I crossed the meadow to the middle maple island. Here
I found a Cat-bird and six or seven Grackles. The latter