Morning drive.
1891 
April 17
Mass. 
Watertown and Belmont. Started at my usual time (8.15) 
and drove over precisely the same course taken 
yesterday. the morning was cloudless and calm 
with just a breath of east wind at times. The 
sun was very warm yet for some unexplained 
reason birds were not singing at all freely. In 
fact I did not hear one-third as many as yesterday.
  Chipping sparrows have increased for I heard 
no less than four, one on the Hubbard place just 
before I started. I saw only one Bluebird (near 
the Cambridge Cemetery) and no Pewees. Heard
a Dendroica hypochrysea in full song near the 
Adams place. In the Payson place saw only a 
few common birds. The Mockingbird has evidently
either left or been killed.
  On the back side of Fresh Pond saw three Kingfishers 
flying over the driveway from the gravel bank to 
the pond. At least one, the leading bird, was a 
female and one the others a male. Probably both 
of the others were males for they seemed to be 
pursuing the female. 
  The Song Sparrows have either nearly ceased singing 
at the time I take my drive or they are getting 
positively scarce in the region which I pass through  
I heard one this morning in Mt. Auburn and 
another within ear shot of my garden, apparently 
on Mr. Russell's place. 
  In an orchard on the cross road behind Fresh Pond 
I saw a female Sharp-shinned Hawk. It flew from 
tree to tree as my horse advanced. A Crow followed 
and dove down at it.