1892
Sept 6.
Concord, Massachusetts.

Mass
Concord. Clear and cool with strong N. W. wind falling to
dead calm at sunset.
  At 10.30 a.m. I started for Ball's Hill with C. & E.R.S.
they in my rowing boat, I in the Stella Maris canoe.
Owing largely to the  wind no doubt we saw almost
no birds on the way down river. The Bobolinks and
Redwings have however either left of become very scarce
as now we started from the wild rice which is
now wholly denuded of its grain.
  After dinner in my cabin and preparing for the
night I started with E.R.S. for a walk over my grounds.
Small birds appeared to be very scarce and I recall
seeing only a Wood [Plover?] and a few Song Sparrows
and hearing the lisping of three or four Warblers in
the tops of the trees.
  The Dove was on her nest in the Cedar at 5 p.m. 
and permitted us to walk past along the cart path
without flying.
[margin]Dove's nest[/margin]
  Sometime after sunset - in fact it was fast getting dark - 
I heard the twittering of Barn Swallows and looking up
saw about 20 of these birds descending nearly vertically,
with great swiftness, from a considerable height, to the
broad reach of mine opposite my cabin. When some
thirty feet above the water they checked their speed
and glided off down river towards the willows at the
bend below where I think they must have a roost.
They flew in nearly as compact a flock as do  Cedar Birds
or Blackbirds.
[margin]Flight of Barn Swallows at evening.[/margin]