32
Concord, Mass.
1898.
March 27 
  Cloudy or at least overcast sky all day with
light but chilly S.E. wind.
  Spent the forenoon at the Emerson's and in 
walking about through the fields and orchards 
near our house. A Nuthatch calling what-what-what,
Bluebirds, Song Sparrows, Red-wings and a Robin singing.
  In the afternoon paddled down river and landing
a little below Flint's bridge walked across the
fields to Pratt's nursery. Just as I was leaving
the canoe a Bittern pumped twice in the 
meadows east of the Y-tree.  When I returned
an hour later he was driving stakes loudly
and persistently further down the river at
the western end of Great Meadow. This is the 
earliest date for the arrival of the Bittern that
I have ever noted.
  Another bird new to my list was the Carolina 
Dove. A male was cooing at short, regular
intervals somewhere in the direction of Sleepy Hollow
continuing when I started back up stream at
5 P.M.
  I saw the Meadow Larks below the bridge
two or three males in full song, the third probably
a female. At first I took them to be birds
that had just come to & settled in the
meadows but two of them finally rose high in 
air & flew off towards & over the Butterick's hill.