1889
June 7
Cambridge, Mass.
Morning clear, hazy at noon, cloudy at sunset, evening
damp and still, the light S. wind dying at sunset.
  A red letter day - or rather evening. I had made an
appointment to meet Faxon on the Mass. Central R.R.
near Beech Island at seven o'clock p.m. to listen for
the strange rail(?) call which we have both heard there
lately, he on the 3rd, I on the 5th of this month. I drove
to the Pine Swamp & sending the buggy back walked in
along the old wood road, or rather such portions of it as
are not now obstructed or obliterated by the brick yard,
tenant houses etc. Reaching the old bridge over the outlet
to Port Pond I found the bordering portion of this swamp much changed. The
trees are all grown and the brook is lost in a succession of
broad stagnant pools covered with confervai and fringed
by tall reeds & cat-tails. To the west, between the Pond & the
railroad, stretches a vast bed of luxuriant cat-tails.
Here I heard a Carolina Rail and another bird absolutely
new to me. The latter singing(?) with few intervals of
silence for about fifteen minutes. More of him anon!
I also saw a Spotted Sandpiper and a White-bellied
Swallow at this swamp. Five Crows were circling & cawing
about Port Pond.
  Keeping up the Fitchburg a little way I climbed the
high embankment of the Central. An Irishman's shanty
with goats etc on the site of Buck Island but the meadow
between this island and the railroad embankment nearly
as of old. Two or three Long-billed Marsh Wrens singing
in the long grass. A Wilson's Thrush fluting in the 
maple swamp through which the Central cuts.
  Keeping east along the track I found Bradford Torrey
posted, like a sentinel, at about the middle of the big