1892
July 1
(No 3)
[margin]Afternoon on the river[/margin]
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- in their nest clamoring for food and I hear
the calling of young Orioles in one of the river maples.
  Suddenly the pip, pip of Red Crossbills comes to my
ear and looking up I see seven of these birds flying
high in a compact flock. It is more than a month
since I have noted any here.
[margin]Return of
Red Crossbills[/margin]
  I reach Dalkin's Hill and hear young Crows cawing in
feeble, flat tones among the pitch pines. There are also
two Towhees calling and some Chickadees near the river.
As I am listening to them there is a sudden crash
and heavy fluttering within a few yards of me on the
right and a Wood Duck bursts up through the foliage of
the button bushes and comes out almost in my
face then skims off down river just above the water
its wings emitting a light, silvery whistle. It must
have started up two others just below Dalkin's bend
and wheeled back with them for the next instant
I see three of these Ducks flying up Holden's brook. They
all look plain grayish brown as I get the light on
their sides but they may be drakes in summer plumage.
I see what are doubtless the same birds later,
(as I come up the river in the coming twilight)
flying down stream over the Beaver-dam rapids. They
have haunted this stretch of river for several weeks.
[margin]Young Crows[/margin]
[margin]Wood Ducks[/margin]
  Now a Musk-rat passes me sculling his way swiftly
up stream.
[margin]Must rat[/margin]
  Beaver Dam Rapid.- A Maryland Yellow-throat and
a Swamp Sparrow singing next the stream; a Veey, a
Red-eye, and an Oven-bird on Holden's hill; Bobolinks
in the distance. The singing of Song Sparrows has been
incessant along the whole course of the river.