Concord, Massachusetts.
1891.
Oct. 20
Carlisle. - Cloudy with strong N.E. wind and heavy rain
during the middle part of the day. Weather warm.
  At 8.30 this morning when George brought my horse
a light misty rain was falling. Thinking there would 
be nothing worse I started for Carlisle. To my surprise
I found that there had been a very heavy influx
of northern migrants during the night. In fact I
saw at least five or six times as many as on
yesterday. Sparrows, - chiefly Chipping, Field and Juncos - 
and Robins were the most numerous. there were 
also great flocks of Robins, many Bluebirds and
one company of Crows, about forty in number.
The Sparrows were in bushes and weedy fields along
the roadside.
[margin]Woodcock shooting[/margin]
[margin]Heavy flight of migrants[/margin]
  Soon after reaching Mr. Robbins's the rain increased
to a perfect downpour so we remained in
the house during the forenoon. After dinner we
had the horse harnessed but scarcely had we
started when a heavy shower began and lasted
until sometime after we had sheltered the
horse in a shed and plunged into the covers.
Melvin tried first for the bird we left in the
run at which I fired three shots yesterday but
failed to start him. Next we went together to
Wadleigh's run where we left three birds last
night. All had left. We beat the ground closely
without finding a trace of them. I am surprised
that they should have gone during such mild
weather. In a part of this run beyond the
Woodcock ground we started three Grouse but did
not get a shot. The clouds broke & we saw blue sky
before we got home.
[margin]Woodcock migrate in stormy weather[/margin]