Concord, Mass.
1899
April 15
  Clear with strong but warm N.W. wind. Ther. [thermometer] 52 [degrees] at
6.30 A.M., 66 [degrees] at 1 P.M.
  Spent the day down river visiting the Barrett farm
in the forenoon, dining at the cabin, and going to
the Bedford Swamp in the afternoon. Started a
Snipe in Dakin's meadow and a Hermit Thrush (the first)
in the Bedford Swamp. A Golden-crested Kinglet
was singing brokenly and a Partridge drumming in 
the Barrett run. In Holden's pastures I heard a
Grass Finch lisping but did not have time to follow
up the sound. Along the river I saw a Kingfisher,
and three Goosanders. Will Bartlett saw two
Goosanders and an Osprey near the head of Great Meadow.
A Pine Warbler was singing on Ball's Hill. No Fox
Sparrows have been observed near the cabin of late
but I had a good view of one in the Bedford swamp
to-day. It was scratching among the leaves by the
wood path and appeared to be a solitary bird.
The scarcity of Fox Sparrows and Juncos has robbed
this spring of much of its charm for me. Song sparrows
also, continue to be comparatively scarce and none
have been seen at Ball's Hill since the 12th. The
Rusty Blackbirds are also conspicuous by their entire
absence here but I hear that numbers have been
met with near Cambridge.
[margin]Snipe[/margin]
[margin]First Hermit[/margin]
[margin]Grass Finch[/margin]
[margin]Scarcity of
Fox sparrows
& Juncos[/margin]
[margin]Song
sparrows
scarce[/margin]
Rusty 
Blackbirds 
wholly absent.[/margin]
  Still another serious "miss" is the musical screaming
of the Red-shouldered Hawk. I saw one or two birds 
at Holden's Hill soon after my arrival & made such
that they would breed there but they have not been
either seen or heard since.
[margin]No Red-shouldered
Hawks[/margin]
48 