1893
April 9
Concord, Mass.
Cloudless with blustering but not cold N. wind which
died away at evening. The sun set in a clear sky
flooding the meadows, just before it sank out of sight,
with a wonderfully clear, strong light. The hills at
sunset were purple and plum-colored. Water frozen last night.
  At 9.30 A.M. I started down river in the Rushton 
boat. There were few small birds in sight and I
heard almost none singing, a great contrast to
yesterday. Where had all the Fox Sparrows and
Juncos gone there were only two of the latter and
one of the former in the Buttrick's orchard this
morning.
  Near the edge of the belt of flooded maples opposite
Dakin's Hill a pair of Hooded Mergansers started
from almost exactly the same spot where I saw 
the female yesterday. It is strange that the drake
was not with her on that occasion. I had a 
fine view of him this morning. There can be little
doubt that these birds are the same two that
I have seen repeatedly near this place or a 
little above during the past two weeks.
[margin]Hooded
Mergansers[/margin]
  On reaching Ball's Hill I landed at the cabin
and presently Herbert Holden came along in his 
canoe. He tells me that on April 6th he saw a 
Virginia Rail in Bedford Swamp. The bird was
in dense bush and came rambling past him within
a few yards as he sat in his stand watching
for Ducks. Four inches of snow had fallen the previous
night.
[margin]Virginia
Rail[/margin]