1892
April 3
Concord, Massachusetts.
[margin]Sunday morning walk.[/margin]
Mass.
Concord. - Still warm in fact a summer-like day,
clear with high S. W. wind. Ther. 52[degrees] at 6 a.m., 75[degrees]
at noon.
  Immediately after breakfast I started for a walk
with Mr. Buttrick taking a dip-net and pail.
As we were on the door step a White-Bellied Swallow
came flying past and I heard & saw a Kingfisher
on an elm by the river.
[margin]First Swallows
& Kingfisher[/margin]
  Crossing Mr. Keyes's farm we struck Dakin's brook
near its mouth and followed it up to the Damsdale.
Bluebirds and Song Sparrows were singing everywhere
but they were no more numerous than three days
ago. We saw a Shrike sitting on the top of an isolated
apple tree and presently he began singing keeping it
up by intervals for several minutes. The Cat-bird-like
screaming and harsh grating chatter were repeated
very many times interspersed with a variety of
clear, musical, Thrasher-like notes. A Bluebird came
to the tree at one time & alighted within eight feet
of the Shrike showing no fear of him.
[margin]Shrike singing[/margin]
  There were many Speckled & Painted Tortoises in
the brook & on its banks & we saw one Mud Tortoise
in the water.
  In the meadow just above the cross road I started
a Grass Finch. We saw several small flocks of Juncos
& Tree Sparrows and two Red Crossbills, the last
flying over the pines of Derby's lane. In one place
near this lane three Pewees were flitting about two
of them singing. Saw my first Woodchuck in a
field near the lane & heard a single Hyla peeping
in the swamp. Swallows were seen everywhere.
[margin]First Grass Finch[/margin]
[margin]Crossbills[/margin]
[margin]First Woodchuck[/margin]