1893
April 3
Concord. Mass.
  The sun rose in a clear sky and for an hour or 
more the morning was calm and beautiful but cold
the ground having frozen hard in the night. By
7 A.M. clouds gathered and a chill S. wind sprang up.
The remainder of the day was raw & gloomy.
  I awoke a little before sunrise and as I lay
in bed with the cabin window open heard Robins,
Red-wings and Song Sparrows singing, a Dove cooing,
and Crows cawing. Dressing hurriedly I walked around
the east end of the hill. Several Tree Sparrows were
singing freely in the alders on the edge of the
swamp but two Fox Sparrows with them maintained
a dignified silence.
Just after breakfast a pair of Gooseanders flew
past the cabin heading down river. I saw
no other Ducks near Ball's Hill.
[margin]Birds
singing at
day break[/margin]
  Pat came from Concord at 8 A.M. & loaded my
heavier things into his boat when we both started
up river. A pair of Wood Ducks which rose from
some flooded bushes near the mouth of Cemetry Brook,
a Kingfisher (the first) flying over Lang's meadow,
and a Red-shouldered Hawk soaring & screaming
over Hunt's landing were the most interesting
birds seen on the way to the Buttricks! Near
the landing Tree Sparrows were singing in some
alders and a few Juncos rose from the blackerry
bushes near the house as I passed.
The remainder of the day was spent working
on my canoes at the house.