1891
April 11
  Mass.
  Cambridge. -To Hill's Crossing at 6 P.M. walking down 
the Central R. R. tracks to Beach Island Meadow where
Faxon joined me at 6:30. The evening was mild 
with S. W. wind and light intermittent showers. 
We hoped to hear Snipe hum but although the 
weather was unusually favorable and the marshes
in excellent condition (the water at just the right
height and the grain already green in many 
places / no birds were either seen or heard. 
A Meadow Lark was whistling near Hill's Crossing 
and Robins singing in the neighboring orchard. 
In the Gallinule Swamp several Red-wings and one 
Swamp Sparrow were singing. Two other Swamp 
Sparrows trilled at frequent intervals in Buck Island 
meadows and Song Sparrows were chanting in 
every thicket. From the marshes in the direction
of [?] came the rhythmic peeping of Hyla 
but the latter are not in full cry or at all 
numerous as yet.
  As twilight was deepening into night a pair 
of Wood Ducks rose from the flooded maple swamp 
north of Buck Island and circled off over the 
tree toward Spy Pond. A [?]-bird scaled over us 
from the south quacking hoarsely. These were all
the birds heard or seen.
  although the cultivated lawns are now green
and the frost out of the ground nearly everywhere
the spring birds are all late and few of those 
that have arrived represented by the full [?] 
complement. Even Robins are still comparatively
scarce and I have not seen a high Purple Finch