1893  
May 14 
(No 2)                                                                                                       
Concord, Mass.
  On reaching Ball's Hill I found Spelman where Pat                                                
had met at W. Bedford & ferried across the river. We
spent the day together most pleasantly taking a long
walk before dinner through Davis's Swamp & beyond nearly
to Lawrence's woods. Spelman left for home at 4.40 &
I sailed slowly back across the meadows & up river
to the Buttrick's an hour later.
[margin]Ball's Hill[/margin]
  The shore of Balls' Hill and the woods, swamp &                                   
thickets everywhere we went during our walk this
forenoon were simply swarming with birds. Evidently
a rush of migrants arrived early this morning although
last night was cloudy with a chill N.E. wind.
The majority of these birds were Cat Birds, Black-throated
Green & Chestnut-side Warblers, Rose breasted Grosbeaks,
Water Thrushes & Oven birds. The only additions to any
list were two Parula Warblers & Eave Swallows (heard).
A few female Yellow-rumps still linger & we saw one
white-throated Sparrow.
[margin]Second heavy
migration 
this month[/margin]
  As I was crossing the meadow at about 5 P.M.                                           
I stood in towards the south shore in hopes of seeing
the Britten which I heard pumping there when I
suddenly spied three Great Blue Heron standing out
near the waters edge. They permitted us to sail past
with 50 or 60 yds. looking at us suspiciously by
turns & then fixing their attention on the water at
their feet. Through my glass I could see the color of their
eyes and every masking. Two were old birds in
perfect plumage with long occipital plumes. The third
was a gray bird with a blackish crown.  They were
wonderfully graceful, dignified creatures.
[margin]Ardea
herodias[/margin]