1893
April 29
(No 2)
Concord, Mass.
(Fairhaven).
  The warm, still, moonlight night evidently tempted
many birds to press their journey northward for
I added no less than seven species to my April list
to-day. These were the Bobolink, already mentioned,
a Least Flycatcher chebec-ing in our orchard, this morning
and again at evening, a single Bank Swallow flying
over our meadow, a Thrasher in full song on Fairhaven
Hill, and at the base of this hill or in the pines
opposite a Mniotilta, also singing, two Brown Creepers, and
four male Towhees. Ruby-crowned Kinglets continue numerous
but Yellow-rumped & Yellow Palm Warblers are nearly all
gone. I saw two flocks of Rusty Grackles, one of 14 birds. 
There was a Golden-crested Kinglet in the pines at
Conantum & another in Miles's swamp.
In the big pines opposite Fairhaven Hill I saw a pair
of Carolina Doves, a Flicker, a Downy Woodpecker, a Robin,
and several Yellow-rumps. Owl pellets under one of the trees.
[margin]Arrivals[/margin]
  Flickers appeared to be fully up to their normal
numbers in the country visited to-day. I made the
following notes relating to the "shout" - ca-ca-ca etc, a cackle
rather than a shout, consisting of from 25 to 40 repetitions
and lasting from 3 1/2 to 7 seconds. Bird sitting on stub
just above hole where there was a nest last year. Afterwards 
it drummed on another stub about a foot above a new hole
from which a female Flicker flew as I passed at
evening. The drum was a simple roll not distinguishable
I think from that made by the Downey Woodpecker. 
[margin]Flickers[/margin]