36
Concord, Mass.
1898.
March 31
  Heavy rain during the night changing to damp
snow about daybreak the storm continuing through
the forenoon with a strong, chilly North wind.
  By noon the snow covered the ground to a depth
of two or three inches over the fields and in the
woods but along the river banks and on the slope
in front of the cabin it melted as fast as it fell.
The broad space of bare, brown earth in front of
our door, covered with hemp and grass seed,
attracted an unusual variety of birds which
kept increasing in numbers as the day wore on
until by noon I had noted the following.
  Robin - Two constantly present; a flock of twelve paid a
brief visit
  Song Sparrow - Five or six
  Fox " [Sparrow] - Four, one of the males singing freely.
  Tree " [Sparrow] - Six (These are the first that have visited the
seed bed)
  Swamp " [Sparrow] - One
  Junco - Three at first others later until fifteen were assembled
  Purple Finch - One in full song.
  Phoebee - One flying down to the ground like a Bluebird
  Chickadee - A pair at the meat bone
  Downy Woodpecker - " [A pair at the meat bone]
  Rough-legged Hawk - A duck-colored bird in the big red oak
  Gooseander - Flock of five gray birds flying close past.
  Crow. - Several flying about, cawing.
  At 11 A.M. I walked up through Bensen's
field & back around the Hill. Started a Partridge
& heard a Chickadee singing merrily in the storm.