307
Concord, Mass.
1897.
Oct. 27
  Another perfect autumn day a little warmer now 
than yesterday but otherwise similar. It is remarkable 
how the wind holds in the east. It actually has not
been in any other quarter (there has been a variation
from S.E. to N.E.) since the 19th.
  Took a long walk this morning starting at
about nine o'clock and not returning to the
cabin until nearly noon. Went over all my
land to the northward keeping the river paths
to Birch Island and coming back by way of
the more inland ones. The woods were beautiful
beyond description and there were a good many
birds of the kinds common at this season  -
Chickadees, Kinglets, Crows, Jays, two Downy
Woodpeckers, a Flicker, a Robin, five Yellow-rumps,
three Partridges, three Pied-billed Greebes [sic] [Grebes], two 
or three Song sparrows and some Titlarks making
up the list of what I saw. The Greebes were
together near the middle of the river opposite
Birch Island, preening their plumage and rising
& falling like Sea Ducks on the swells that rolled
from the N.E.
  A Woodpecker was again at work on the logs
of the cabin shortly after noon. He wakened us from
a sound nap and for ten minutes or more afterwards
hammered loudly & incessantly just behind my head.
I could hear the rustle of his wings when he
flitted from place to place. Finally I went out
but he had disappeared.