1892
Sept. 25
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord. - Morning cloudy the sky clearing by noon and
the sun coming out very hot. There was no wind at
any time during the day and the air was sultry &
oppressive.
[margin]Estabrook woods[/margin]
  Spent the forenoon in the Estabrook woods with
Mr. Buttrick. We started in past Mr. Batt's, followed
the wood path through the "Common Lot" to "Hubbard Pasture"
where we "salted" the cows, kept on beyond to the head
of Ash Swamp, and returned by the Estabrook road and
Derby's lane.
  It was a great day for Blue Jays. I am not sure
that I can see more within the same time & distance.
They were flying about everywhere in the fields, swamps &
in every kind of woodland. I am forced to withdraw what
I recorded, a short time since, in disparagement of the
Jay's imitation of the screaming of the Red-shouldered Hawk.
It is usually shorter than the Hawk's outcry but several times
to-day a Jay very near me deceived me perfectly. Once the
screams, repeated a dozen or more times, came from the top
of a white oak where several Jays were flitting about. Although
I saw them I was not really satisfied that there was
not also a Buteo there, until I went to the tree & drew the
Jays out. They were imitating this Hawk scream very
genuinely to-day but I heard our four birds Buteo, also.
[margin]Blue Jays[/margin]
  Next to the Jays I saw more Black-polls than
any other species of bird. They have come late
this autumn but to-day the woods were alive with
them. They apparently prefer birches at this season. I
saw one eating a smooth green caterpillar fully an inch long.
[margin]Black-poll[/margin]