1889
June 1
Concord, Mass.
Cloudy with very strong S. W. wind and occasional gusts
of rain. Heavy rain during the following night.
  To concord with Denton by 9 A. M. train. On reaching
the river I heard the Nuthatches and soon afterwards saw
the [male] pursue a moth to the ground [?] it and carry it
to a young bird, evidently only a few days from the nest,
which was sitting on the branch of a pine over the avenue
to North Bridge.
  In the old stone boat house found a Phebee's nest with
five eggs slightly incubated. It was near the peak of the roof
on a cross brace and so well concealed that I should have
overlooked it had not the old bird flown from it within
a few inches of my head.
  Least Flycatchers, Orioles, Robins, Purple Finches and
Chippys singing in the Manse orchard. No Cat-birds or
Warbling Vireos there this year. A pair of Flickers have
a nest in an ash over the avenue as usual.
  Launching my Rushton boat we rowed down river to
Hott's Pond, where we landed a beat the Bobolink ground
carefully. Although the sky was dark & the wind blowing
a half gale and lashing the grass about the [male] Bobolinks
were all at their posts singing and as we progressed it
was evident that they were calling their mates off
the nests. We surprised one [female] however and found
the nest with five eggs. We also found a Cuckoo's nest
only 12 inches above the ground in a dense thicket
of alder & silky cornel. it held three eggs.
  Denton left me at the lower end of this ground
and landing across the river at Dakin's Hill he went
to the Cooper's Hawk's nest which was still empty &
evidently deserted. He did not get back until past