1892.
Aug. 20
[margin]To Ball's Hill[/margin]
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- Cool with lowering sky and fresh N.E. wind,- a
"sea turn" in fact.

  To Ball's Hill at 10.15 A.M. with Mr. & Mrs. Hubbard
Miss Hubbard joining us early in the afternoon. I had
my table moved out of the house and we took dinner
under the birches by the river.

  Before starting this morning I heard Song Sparrows
and a Robin singing near the house but only at
wide intervals. The only bird singing along the river
was a Short-Billed Marsh Wren opposite Ball's Hill.
[margin]Birds in
song[/margin]

  King-birds seem to have diminished greatly in numbers
during the past few days. I saw no Swallows at
all to-day and but two or three Swifts.
[margin]Tyrannus√√[tick marks]
& Swallows
departing[/margin]

  There were two Black-billed Cuckoos in the maples on
the edge of the river in front of my cabin. They kept
close together and uttered the chuckle (wor-r-roo) at
frequent intervals.
[margin]Cuckoos[/margin]

  A Great Blue Heron, apparently a young bird, started
from the marsh opposite Ball's Hill as we appeared in
sight and we saw the same bird on our way up
river at evening.
[margin]Blue Heron[/margin]

  We also saw two flocks of Ducks, one of four, the other
of five birds, both flocks flying past Ball's Hill. I took them
for A.[Anas] obscura but did not make quite sure.
[margin]Ducks[/margin]
  A flock of fully 200 Bobolinks scaling over Great Meadow at sunset.
[margin]Bobolinks[/margin]