1892
March 28
Concord, Massachusetts.
[margin]To Ball's Hill[/margin]
Mass.
Concord. - Weather much like that of yesterday but the
wind more northerly and much more violent, the
sky clearer, the sun warmer. On the whole a fine
day for the season although the wind was decidedly
harsh.
  The wind did not rise until about 9.a.m. Previous
to this the morning was perfectly calm and very
sunny & warm. For the first time this season there
was continuous and protracted bird singing about the
house. A Robin began the chorus a little before sunrise
next Song Sparrows & Bluebirds joined in, and later
a Meadow Lark and Redwing and a Chickadee or two.
Besides these a Downy Woodpecker drummed at regular
& frequent intervals on a dead branch in the elm in
front of my window.
[margin]Birds singing
freely
Robin singing[/margin]
[margin]Downy Woodp'r
drumming[/margin]
  On going out after breakfast I noticed that the grass
on the bank under the parlor window showed a distinct
tinge of green for the first time this year. Yesterday
the only green shade in the fields was on a [?] of
winter wheat.
[margin]First green
grass.[/margin]
  At 10 a.m. I started for Ball's Hill. Warren was ahead
of me, at his his murderous work among the Musk rats.
When I met him he had killed fifteen & had seen a
large Mink. Of course he had scared away all the Ducks.
There were a few scattered single Red-wings & many Song Sparrows.
[margin]Slaughter of
the Muskrats[/margin]
  Walked to Davis's Hill & scanned the river below for Ducks
but saw only two, a pair of Gooseanders asleep on the ice.
In the afternoon five Black Ducks and several small
bunches of Gooseanders passed Ball's Hill, "trading" back
& forth. One pair of Gooseanders alighted in the river opposite
my cabin. At Davis's Hill I found a pair of Red-tailed
Hawks. A few Red-wings singing as I came up river at sunset.
[margin]Gooseanders
Black Ducks[/margin]
[margin]Red-tailed Hawks[/margin]