Concord, Mass.
1899.
April 11 
  Brilliantly clear with rather strong N.E. wind. The ground
froze hard again last night & new ice covered many of the 
shallower pond[s] through the forenoon.
  The usual birds singing about the town this morning.
Song Sparrows and Bluebirds sang most of the forenoon.
I heard the delightful clear, wild notes of a Tree Sparrow
near the Buttricks['] & saw a solitary bird of the same species
further down the river. Heard no less than five different
Phoebes, one at the Keyes' another at North Bridge, a
third at Hutchin's boat house, a fourth at Holden's, the 
fifth at the Barrett farm. Gilbert reported a sixth, singing 
at Ball's Hill early in the morning.
[margin]Early morning
Singing[/margin]
  I started down river at the usual time paddling to
Dakin's Hill where I landed and went to the Barrett
farm. Pat told me that a Partridge had been drumming
there most of the morning. A Phoebe was flitting about
the barn, singing.
  Dined at the cabin. Three Fox Sparrows, three Song sparrows,
a pair of Downies & two or three Chickadees were flitting
about. Gilbert started a Bittern (the first) from the path
just east of the look room.
[margin]Birds at
Ball's Hill[/margin]
  Along the river on my way down I saw an Osprey, three
Goosanders, two or small flocks of Whistlers, and ten
White-bellied Swallows.
  The Osprey was perched on a stake eating a large fish.
Several Crows were mobbing him viciously. Gilbert tells
me that he saw the same thing happen near the cabin
this morning & that the Osprey (who was flying) was so
hard pressed that he finally dropped his fish. It fell
[margin]Osprey[/margin]
43