Morning in the Fresh Pond Swamp
1891
May 4
(no. 4)
Mass.
Cambridge. - and found as I expected a hole with straws
protruding. I did not investigate further but the female
Bluebird was doubtless sitting on her eggs inside. Several pairs
of House Sparrows were nesting in neighboring trees.
  The open meadows north of the Fitchbury tracks looked to-day
about as they do towards the close of the month in ordinary
seasons. Sweet flag, iris and cat-tail stalks were ten or twelve
inches tall, the tussock grass twelve to fifteen inches and
in flower each blade being tipped with a head of russet
which gave the tussock somewhat the appearance of having
been blighted by frost. This russet color distributed in belts
and spots formed a conspicuous and arguable contrast to
the otherwise nearly uniform light yellowish or gold green
of these broad, level marshes.
[margin]Appearance 
of the marshes[/margin]
  In two places I found a Pickerel Frog, dead and
shriveled, in the very top of a tussock its toes clasped
tightly about the tips of the grass blades. In each
instance the animal must have crawled up out of the 
water to die for this attitude and condition showed
clearly that death had not been caused by violence. It
seems strange, however, that it should have passed
safely through the long winter and perished in the
glad spring time. Doubtless, however, such creatures, like the 
higher-organized animals, are subject to many forms of
disease and numbers, too, must die of old age.
[margin]Dead flogs[/margin]
  Apple trees in bloom to-day, not full bloom but a good
many blossoms fairly out. Where are the Orioles?
None have been reported yet on safe authority. Nor
is there any news of the Bobolinks. I listened & looked
from them in the fields near Hill's Crossing but
could find none.