1892.
July 25
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- The hottest day thus far in a phenomenally
hot summer. At noon, with the sun wholly obscured
by [delete][?][/delete] clouds, the thermometer hung on the north side
of our house stood at 102°[degrees] Fahr! The sun shone dimly
through dense haze much of the day.
[margin]Evening walk to Clark's woods.[/margin]

  At noon I walked over the farm to note the
effect of this extreme heat on the birds. To my
surprise they were apparently not in the least
depressed by it. Indeed I heard more singing than
for a week past at the corresponding hours. A
Robin, two Chipping Sparrows, a Song Sparrow, a
Grass Finch, a Warbling Vireo and a Quail were
singing steadily and Yellow Warblers (at least two
birds) more freely than for many days, while a
Meadow Lark whistled at intervals. Martins
and Barn Swallows were flying about rather high up.
[margin]Birds not
affected by
extreme heat[/margin]

  After tea I started for the Estabrook woods. As I walked
slowly along past Burrill's, through the hollow beyond, and
up the slope to Clark's I heard two Song Sparrows, a
Robin, a Grass Finch, a Yellow-winged Sparrow and a
Quail – just six birds in a distance of nearly a mile!
Beyond Dutton's the woods along the Estabrook road were
absolutely silent save for an occasional chirp or twitter
in the dense foliage near at hand, and I did not
hear another bird sing until I reached Clark's woods,
where, on my arrival at 7.20, two Wood Thrushes were
tuning their flutes in low tones & a Wood Pewee was wailing
in the hemlocks under which I seated myself.
A few minutes later a Black-billed Cuckoo sang