1892
Feb.27
Concord, Massachusetts.
[margin]Assabet R.[/margin]
Mass.
Concord.- Cloudless and cold with high N. E. wind.
Thm. did not rise above 24[degrees] to-day but the snow
thawed a good deal on southern exposures.
  Yesterday I put my boats in order and
launching the larger one in the afternoon rowed
up river into the Assabet & to above the Humb[?][?][?]s.
Just above the red bridge I saw a rather large
bird sitting perfectly motionless on the topmost
spray of a small elm in the meadow on
the south bank. Landing I got within about
50 yds. where through my glass I made it out to
be a Meadow Lark, the first I have seen this year.
It flew presently and crossed the river disappearing
in the direction of the Buttricks where I afterwards
found its tracks in the snow on the knoll in
front of the house.
[margin]First boat
ride
Sturnella[/margin]
  This morning I went to Ball's Hill by boat.
At the Manse landing I found a pair of Nuthatches
& three Chickadees, the former going in & out of holes
& evidently thinking of the near approach of their nesting
season.
[margin]Sitta carolin[/margin]
  At Ball's Hill I saw only Chickadees but at Dams's
Hill I heard a Red-tailed Hawk screaming &
presently saw the bird scaling down into the pines.
I at first took the cry for that of a Blue Jay
It is hoarser, more prolonged and ends differently
but yet there is a strong resemblance which never
struck me before.
[margin]Ball's Hill.
Buteo borealis
Scream resem-
bles a Blue Jay's[/margin]
  On my way up river just before sunset I saw a
Shrike perched on an oak in the meadows, an adult
[male] Golden-eye flying down stream, & a very large muskrat.
[margin]Shrike
Golden-eye[/margin]

