1893
May 9
(No 4)
Concord, Mass.
  We reached Concord at 1 P.M. After dinner I
started for Ball's Hill in the Stella Maris canoe.
The heavy rains of last week raised the river four
or five feet and the water was actually higher than
in March. The river banks were everywhere submerged
and I crossed them a little below Lang's landing 
and setting sail stood down over the Great Meadow
close hauled to the S E breeze. After leaving my
things at the cabin I kept on to Bedford swamp
where I landed and walked through the grove of
big pines. No signs of the Red-tailed Hawks or their
nest. The only small bird singing was a Mniotilta.
At Ball's Hill I heard another Mniotilta but nothing
else. I did not go beyond the cabin, however.
[margin]Ball's Hill[/margin]

   There were no Red-wings along the river but I saw
several large flocks whirling about over the field on
the Bedford shore. Our flock which alighted in a
maple near the water contained 12 females and
15 males. These are the first females that I have
seen.
[margin]Red-winged
Blackbirds[/margin]

  At 5.30 I started for home sailing back across
Great Meadow. The Bittern driven from his usual
haunts by the high water was pumping in the
little brook meadow east of Ripley's Hill. Yellow
Warblers were singing among the submerged river
tthickets and two Bobolinks near the Buttricks'
I saw no water fowl of any kind. A Marsh Hawk 
passed near Ball's Hill &[and] two Cooper's Hawks
near Flint's bridge.
[margin]Birds seen
on the 
river at
evening[/margin]