1892
May 24
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.  Clear with strong W wind. 
  To Ball's Hill by canoe at 9 a.m. Found the
Great Meadows entirely under water so I left the
river by the upper pass near the big maple and crossed
there under sail making a nearly straight course to
the Hill. I took with me provisions for two days &
made other preparations to pass the night at the hill.
[margin]Ball's Hill[/margin]
  I found many small birds in the thickets along
the river front of the hill but nothing new among them.
In the afternoon, I sailed to Carlisle Bridge & back keeping
the west shore going down & the east on the return
disregarding the channel altogether & skirting the meadow
edges of the woods closely. Somewhat to my surprise I
found Rhodora nearly everywhere in great quantities. In
fact both shores of the meadow are lined with it
evenly the whole distance between Davis's hill & the bridge.
It is past its prime & the petals are falling.
[margin]Sail to Carlisle Bridge & back.[/margin]
  The flooded meadows were everywhere covered with
swarms of Swallows & Swifts, the former chiefly Bank
and Barn Swallows. I must have seen 20 in all.
As I passed Davis's hill on my return, a large Woodchuck
and a small Gray Squirrel were rustling about among
the dry leaves getting their supper. A little flock of
Maryland Yellow-throats, Wilson's & Canadian Warblers &
Chestnut-sides were feeding among the bushes over the water.
[margin]Abundance of Swallows & Swifts on flooded meadows[/margin]
[margin]Flock of migrants[/margin]
  In the early evening I again visited my scrub and
glided off over the Great Meadow to the southern shore
of the lake which now covers them. Two Bitterns
pumping near the railroad embankment. Heard a Va
& Carolina Rail in bushes near this shore. Red-wings in
flocks singing in medley. Thrashers, Wilson's Thrushes, Grosbeaks
& Robins singing in the pastures & woods.
