Concord, Mass.
1896
April 15
[April 15, 1896]

  Cloudless, the early morning dead calm, a brisk N.W. [Northwest]
wind during the remainder of the day. Very warm, ther. [thermometer] 78 [degrees] at noon.

Departure of the great flight
of Tree Swallows at 4 P.M. yesterday

  Near the Keyes' this morning I heard Song [Song Sparrow] & Tree Sparrows,
a Chippy (the first - another later at Bensen's house) Purple Finches,
a Chickadee, Blue Jay, Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Meadow
Lark [Meadowlark] (in the field above the barn) Flicker, several Grass Finches,
Red-wings [Red-winged Blackbird] and Robins. As I was crossing the meadow
to my boat house a solitary Purple Martin flew overhead
very high up, warbling incessantly. I had hoped to find 
the White-bellied Swallows on the meadows but during
the passage to Ball's Hill I saw in all less than half-a-
dozen & only a straggler or two during the remainder of
the day. The immense numbers feeding on the meadows
yesterday forenoon must have continued their migration
at about 4 P.M. when I saw upwards of fifty pass
over Bensen's pasture heading due north but flying in
their usual leisurely, desultory manner feeding by the way.
At the time I suspected they were leaving us and
a little later when I paddled up to Concord I
did not see a single individual. I wish I knew
when this great flight arrived. Probably they came
in early yesterday morning.
  Nearly all the other migrants which were here yesterday
had also disappeared by this morning. I have not seen
a single Yellow [Yellow Warbler] Palm [Palm Warbler] or Yellow-rump Warbler [Yellow-rumped Warbler] to-day and
the Grass Finches, Song Sparrows, Pine Warblers, Robins &
other common birds were reduced to about the numbers
which usually breed here. I heard two Ruby-crowned
Kinglets, however, & two Tree Sparrows