Morning in the Fresh Pond Swamps
1891
May 4
(no 3)
Mass. 
Cambridge. - half-an-hour or more this morning watching
the pond but quite in vain for they neither showed
themselves nor called.
  I next went to the swamp where we found the Gallinule's 
nest last year and searched it rather carefully. The water
was nearly as high in this swamp as in 1890 and there
seemed to be a good many Rails concealed among the 
bushes and cat-tails for I heard them calling at frequent 
intervals but they kept closely hidden. On first entering the
swamp I found a Virginia's nest, empty but evidently
a new nest, the lining quite dry however. It was in the
top of a tussock on the edge of a ditch.
  This swamp contained nearly or quite its full summer
quota of Red-winds (I saw very few on the open meadows).
They acted precisely as if breeding following me about and
calling peer in anxious tones. I found no signs of nests,
however.
  Swamp Sparrows were abundant everywhere but I did not 
see or hear a Song Sparrow until I had nearly reached
Hill's Crossing where they became very numerous. I also
started a Savanna Sparrow near the station and in
the willows along the brook just west of the station
found a large flock of Red-wings of both sexes, the makes
singing in medley. As I was watching them a
Sparrow Hawk passed, coming from the direction of the
Tudor place and flying very swiftly and directly.
  Near the cross-roads, where I waited for George to pick me
up, a Bluebird was singing in an orchard. As it watched
it it flew to a dead branch and clinging beneath it, back
down, warbled for nearly a minute in exquisitely tender tones
but almost in a whisper. I afterwards went to the tree