285
Concord, Mass.
1898.
October 25
  Clear and very warm with strong S.W. wind.
  The Carrs left me this morning taking the 8.13 train
for Boston whence they go to Washington.
  I spent most of the day in the woods going to
the Barrett farm in the afternoon. As I was sailing 
past Pad Island on my way to Davis's Hill (where
I usually leave the canoe walking then through
Prescott's woods to the Barrett place) a Coot (Fulica)
started from a bed of flooded grass and, half running,
half flying, sought refuge in a thicket of bushes.
I have heard Carolina Rails every evening of late up to to-day.
" [October] 26  
  Cloudy and very warm. Rain began falling at 11 A.M.
and during the entire afternoon it came in torrents.
At 5 P.M. the wind suddenly shifted from E. to
S.W. and later it blew a heavy gale which lasted
well into the night.
  Spent the forenoon at the Barrett farm. A Partridge
was drumming steadily on the stone wall near where
we found the nest last spring. At noon just as the 
rain began a Greater Yellow legs was whistling over the
meadows opposite Ball's Hill.
  Took a short walk in the afternoon but saw
no living creature except one Song Sparrow.
  The recent heavy rains have carried the water 
nearly to spring patch & the Great Meadow is now
completely submerged. This fact is doubtless the cause
of the breaking up of the great Blackbird roost. I
have neither seen nor heard any birds flying that way
of late.
[margin]High water
drives the
Rusty Black-
birds from 
their roost [/margin]