319
Concord, Mass.
1897
Nov. 5
  Entire morning foggy and cloudy but this afternoon
clear and deliciously mild. Very little wind all day.
  Spent the forenoon writing letters. In the afternoon
rambled about in the woods behind Ball's Hill seeing
only two or three Tree Sparrows and a Partridge.
A Song Sparrow, the only one there I have noted this
month, spent the entire day in the bushes in front
of the cabin warbling a little in subdued tones.
  Gilbert counted fourteen Chickadees in one flock on
Ball's Hill this morning. With them was a Downy,
two Tree Sparrows & two Juncos. He also saw five
Black Ducks passing over the meadows at evening.
" [Nov.] 6
  Very warm the sky filled with drifting cloud masses
through which the sun shone out for brief intervals.
Late in the afternoon the sky cleared & a cold N.W.
wind arose lasting until into the night.
  Spent the day near the cabin overseeing some work
that the men were doing on a new path. In the
afternoon Mr. Dean came from Cambridge bringing some
important letters. We took a short walk seeing nothing
but a Fox Sparrow (the second only that I have noted
this autumn[)].
  Tit larks were piping over the meadows this morning
but none seemed to be about at evening. Several gunners
beat the meadows & a number of shots were fired.
At evening as I was seeing D. off & just as he was
landing on the marsh a Snipe whirred down past
us. Later I heard another scaiping.