1892
Oct. 4
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord. Cloudy most of the day the sun peeping out
for brief intervals and the sky clearing at sunset. A light
storm in p.m. No wind; warm, humid atmosphere.
The autumn coloring of the red maples at its height & remarkably fine this year.
[margin]Ball's Hill[/margin]
  George brought my horse at 9 a.m. and with C.
I drove down to Bedford over the river road and back
by way of Carlisle bridge to Ball's Hill which we
reached at 11 o'clock. George took the boat down
and we came back in it starting at sunset &
arriving at the house as it was getting dark.
During our drive we saw a great many small
birds chiefly in flocks, rising from windy fields 
at the rattle of our carriage or flitting on ahead 
of us where bushes lined the roadside. The
majority were Sparrows of several species with
a sprinkling of Blue Jays, Robins, Flickers &
Blue birds & a good many Yellow-rumped Warblers.
No large flocks of Crows seemed to be about but
small parties & single birds were seen in the
usual numbers.
[margin]Abundance of Small Birds[/margin]
  Marsh Hawks were exceptionally numerous. Unless
the same birds showed themselves more than once
we saw at least six or seven of which two were
old males. One of the latter was acting in a
singular manner. Flying in broad circles from
a wooded hill (Benson's Knoll) at an average
height above the tree tops of perhaps fifty feet
he moved his wings in a loose, fluttering way
each improved stroke carrying the tips straight
up so that they almost met above his back
[margin]Circus hud. [?][/margin]