Concord, Mass.
1896
April 28
[April 28, 1896]

  Clear with strong S.W. [Southwest] wind.
  To Ball's Hill for the last time this spring, I fear,
sailing down & paddling home at evening.
  Spent the day transplanting trees & putting the
cabin in order for its lonely summer.
  Saw a Solitary Sandpiper on the river bank (an
exceptionally early date I believe) and heard two
Black-throated Green Warblers in the Ball's Hill woods.
  During the past three days the number of Robins,
Red-wings, Chippies [Chipping Sparrow], Flickers & Meadow Larks [Meadowlark] seem to
have greatly increased. Can it be that migrants of these
species have come in so long after the arrival of the
pioneers? To-day the whole country seemed to be
swarming with them & other common early birds but
I noted nothing new except the Sandpiper.
  Bluebirds have nearly ceased warbling and Song Sparrows
have become very silent of late. I saw the latter in
pairs running like mice among the stems of bushes
& in old grass along the river bank but very few
of the males seem to sing even in the early morning.
  Swallows have been very numerous these past three
days. Last evening fully 30 Barn Swallows & nearly
as many White-bellied [White-bellied Swallow] were flying over Ball's Hill.
Only one Swift yesterday & to-day. The main flight
has not come yet.