1892
June 13
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- Clear, the early morning oppressively
warm, the heat tempered during the later hours
by a strong W. wind.
  I was awake this morning at daybreak &
noted the first bird song, that of a Robin, at
3.05 o'clock when there was only a faint
glow in the East & I was obliged to light
a match to read the time. Only a minute
or two later a King bird began calling. Blue
birds, Song Sparrows etc. soon followed. Among
the others was a Black & white Creeper which
appeared to be in the elms in front of the
house. I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at frequent
intervals – t-t-t-t-t-t-tan, tan, the opening
notes unusually abbreviated. A Black-bill sang
repeatedly last night after the moon rose.

[margin]Birds at
daybreak.[/margin]

[margin]Yellowbill Cuckoo[/margin]

  At 9 a.m. I started for Ball's Hill in my canoe.
For the first half mile it was intensely hot but
the breeze soon rose and I glided swiftly down
stream under sail. The birds were singing freely
and I heard a Blue bird in full song among the
others.

[margin]To Ball's Hill[/margin]

  Several Grackles were flitting through the bushes
near Hunt's landing each followed by an excited
& angry mob of male Red-wings which attack-
ed the Grackle wherever it flew with great furiousness.
I saw the same thing yesterday near the
Buttricks landing. There is doubtless good
reason for this animosity for the Grackle is
certainly an inveterate egg devourer.

[margin]Red-wings
mobbing
Bronzed Grackles[/margin]

 As I was passing the Holt two Wood Ducks