1892
May 23
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord. - Heavy rain during the whole of last night, light 
rain through the forenoon, the clouds breaking and the
sun coming out about noon. Afternoon clear with N[orth] W[est] wind. 
It is said that four inches of rain had fallen during
the past three days of which one inch fell last night!
The river this morning was out of its banks and by night
the Mill Brook meadow and all the the lower portions
of the Great Meadows were flooded, the waters having
reached nearly the highest point to which it has
risen this year.
[margin]Ball's Hill[/margin]

[margin]A heavy
rain storm[/margin]

I started for Ball's Hill at 9 a.m. paddling down
in a steady driving rain against a N[orth] E[ast] wind.
Saw few small birds but the Bobolinks were singing in
spite of the dismal weather. Red-wings are, & have
been for a week or more, comparatively scarce at best
along the river. I saw scarce thirty today & of them
more than half were females. I do not understand
it. One thing is sure; they have not been shot.
Was surprised to start a Great Blue Heron from 
Mrs. Barrett's meadow where it was standing knee
deep in the water as I came around the bend above.
It was in immature plumage & doubtless a [?] bird.
It flew from nearly the same spot as I passed
on my way homeward at evening. In the morning

[margin]Great Blue Heron[/margin]

I also started a Night Heron from this same meadow.
Small birds were swimming at Ball's Hill, the
majority being Yellow-throats with a few Canadian Warblers,
on Wilson's-cup, one Block-poll, three or four
Yellow-rumps, one White-throated Sparrow, several
Water Thrushes, and many Yellow Warblers, Cat Birds,
Brown Thrashers, Wilsons Thrushes etc. a silent,