Concord, Massachusetts.
1899.
April 4
  Brilliantly clear with moderate north wind. Although the ground
froze hard last night the middle of the day was warm & springlike
-  the first really springlike day thus far. Saw an Antiopa Butterfly.
[margin]First Butterfly.[/margin]
  I came to Concord late yesterday afternoon and am to spend
a week or two at the Keyes' before settling down at the cabin
for the remainder of the spring.
  It was delightful to hear the birds singing early this morning
before I was up and through most of the forenoon while Gilbert, Pat
and I were putting the canoe in order by the river in front of 
the house. I heard a Robin, a Bluebird, a Phoebe, two or three Song
Sparrows, several Red-wings and a Flicker. There was also a Downy drumming
and, of course, the distant cawing of crows. One must go well
back into the country to enjoy such a concert in these days.
I was impressed by the sweet, tender quality of most of the
voices. The Phoebe delighted me most of all. He was perched in
an elm over the water.
[margin]Birds Singing
near the Keyes'[/margin]
  There is no snow remaining in the fields and on sunny banks
the grass is faintly greenish but wasted drifts lie everywhere
on the north side of walks and evergreen trees. A little ice
lines the south side of the Mill Brook meadow but bright
blue water covers most of the flooded meadows which are
in sight of the house.
  While at the Buttricks' in the late afternoon I
saw a Gull soaring over Great Meadows which, of course,
are all under water with a border of snow covered ice
along the southern shore. At sunset Red wings were
scattered all along the river near the mouth, singing,
[margin]Red-wings.[/margin]