21
Concord, Mass.
1897
April 6-10
  During this period the weather has been cloudy most of
the time with rather chill easterly winds but no frosts.
It has rained a good deal in fact more or less every
day and on the 9th all day and very heavily [delete]most[/delete] too.
  Under the influence of these rains and such sunshine
as we have had vegetation has advanced steadily. The
grass is now green on all southern exposures and
along the river banks the first shoots are five or six
inches tall. My hepaticas were in full bloom on the 6th
and Claytonia the next day.
  I have spent every day at Ball's Hill where with
the help of Pat and a Norwegian, Andersen by name, I
have planted most of the lower part of Bensen's field
with young white pines.
  Almost nothing of especial interest has fallen to my
notice respecting the birds. A few migrants have come: -
Pine Warblers on the 5th at Ball's Hill (Will. Bartlett saw
one in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery on the 4th), Swamp Sparrows
(two singing opposite Ball's Hill) on the 7th, a Field Sparrow
at Dakin's Hill and a Ruby crowned Kinglet in Prescott's
pine woods on the 8th, a Barn Swallow on the 9th
(with about fifty Tree Swallows) flying over the meadows
near Ball's Hill.
  I saw the last Fox Sparrows (near the cabin) on the 5th
and believe that all have now departed. I have
wholly missed the singing of this species this spring.
Tree Sparrows have lingered up to the 8th and doubtless
I shall see them for a few days longer. They have sung freely.