1892
June 13
(No 3)
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- are now nearly as large as Blackbirds and their
eyes are open. Their bills are flesh colored, the edges of
the gape yellowish-white. The feathers of the first plumage
are beginning to appear along the median line of the
back, on the shoulders, & on the occiput. Elsewhere they
are covered with long hairy down of a dark brown color.
I am sure there were three young in this nest this
forenoon but on visiting it at 3 P.M. I found only
two. The old birds were absent but one soon returned
& discovering me set up a scolding tcha-a-a-a which
quickly brought its mate also. Both were singularly
bold & courageous coming repeatedly within less than
three feet of my head and flitting [delete]nervously[/delete] excitedly from
twig to twig [delete]moving their long tails[/delete] jerking their long
tails up, down, & sideways, occasionally spreading them
wide, flirting the wings with a quick, nervous motion
and scolding me most vehemently. At first they
used the tcha-a-a-a note exclusively but both soon
changed this for the loud short cry which sounds so
much like a smacking kiss. They also occasionally
gave the low [delete]W[/delete] Veery-like pleen and twice the
male, doubtless under the influence of strong excite-
ment, uttered half a dozen notes of his usual
song in a soft undertone sitting the while within
less than two yards of me. Their bold, animated
bearing & intense devotion to their young impressed
me deeply.
[margin]Thrashers &
young[/margin]

  A little before noon I took a short walk around
and over the hill. The heat was intense but
the strong breeze made it easily bearable even
in the full glare of the burning sun. The air