Concord, Mass.
1896
April 4
[April 4, 1896]

  A duplicate of yesterday save that the wind was more in
the north and did not rise until about 8 A.M. During
the remainder of the day, however, it blew a living gale &
the temperature, despite the warm sun, remained so low
that the bushes were thickly hung with icicles where the
waves washed them. At intervals during the day, when
the wind lulled for a moment, we could hear the tinkling
of these ice pendants all along the shore in front of
the cabin, the bushes, rocked by the waves, causing them to
swing and strike each other lightly.
  The early morning was comparatively calm & the air, although
frosty, bracing and delicious. When I awoke at day break
Red-wings [Red-winged Blackbird], Song Sparrows, and Fox Sparrows were singing.
  On the 1st [April 1, 1896] & 2nd [April 2, 1896] a single bird of the last named species
was seen in the thickets along the river every time we
passed that way. Yesterday there were six of these Sparrows
and this morning nearly a dozen. I threw out a lot of
uncooked oatmeal last evening and the whole flock were
on the banking, before our door, eating the oatmeal this
morning. When I stepped out they flew up into the
oaks and began singing as only Fox Sparrows can sing
a single bird beginning, then another & another & another
joining in until five or six were singing at once. The
frosty air throbbed & rang with their wild, rich notes.
I have never heard a finer outburst of Fox Sparrow music.
During the next half an hour I rambled about in the
woods & over the hills watching & listening by turns
but seeing nothing but a Crow (who visited the old
nest in the pines on Ball's Hill alighting on the edge &
inspecting the inside gravely) and hearing only a few
Song Sparrows & Redwings [Red-winged Blackbird] & a Redpoll Linnet.