1893
April 4
Concord, Mass.
  Forenoon cloudy with drizzling rain and a few short, sharp
showers. Clearing in P.M., the sunset almost perfectly clear.
Nearly dead calm all day; a soft, beautiful haze veiling
the distant landscape. Morning raw, evening very warm.
  To Ball's Hill at 9 A.M. paddling down in the open
canoe. Spent most of the day with Pat cutting down
trees on the oak knoll near Bensen's landing. At 4 P.M.
started for a walk, traversing the woods between Ball's &
Davis's Hill. The air was soft & warm and the water
over the meadows perfectly calm. The sun had just
come out and Robins, Bluebirds, Song Sparrows and
Red-wings were singing joyously. A Dove was cooing
near the glacial hollow and in the pines on the hillside
above a Pine Warbler (the first) singing. An Osprey
whistled several times in the direction of Davis's Hill.
Saw two Fox Sparrows with some Tree Sparrows but
both species were silent. Suddenly, as if at a given
signal, a great number of Wood Frogs began croaking
on the Bedford shore of the river. They are the first
I have heard and I have heard no Hylas since the
single individual that piped a few times in Davis's
swamp on the afternoon of the 1st.
[margin]First
Pine Warbler
Osprey
First
Wood Frogs
Only one
Hylas thus
far[/margin]
  I started for the Buttricks' at 5.20 and paddled
up in forty minutes crossing the meadow. The 
water was as smooth as glass [delete]perfectly smooth[/delete] & the evening delightful.
Red-wings & Song Sparrows were singing all along
the lines of trees & bushes. I saw two Wood Ducks
flying together near Hunt's Pond and two Musk Rats
swimming near shore. A Kingfisher near Hunt's
landing rattling.