Concord, Mass.
189(8)9 [1899]
May 19
(No 2)
  Wilson's Thrushes began singing today. I heard the first
at 9 A.M. on the side of Ball's Hill. Gilbert heard another near
the cabin about the middle of the afternoon. At evening there
was general and protracted singing all around the hill and 
in the blueberry swamp behind it, at least five or six birds
taking part. All of them seemed to be in excellent form.
Why is it that this species remains silent so long after its arrival?
I saw the first this season on May 2 and by the 10th they
were abundant. Living, as I do here, in the very middle of 
their favorite haunts I should have known it had there
been any singing before to-day. They have called a little
at morning and evening & without the floating notes but not
once have I heard the song before this morning. Seventeen days
is a longer period of silence than usual, however.
[margin]Wilson's Thrushes
begin singing
17 days after
the first arrival
and 9 days 
after they had
arrived in force.[/margin]
  A Partridge drummed all day long on the stone wall
at the N.E. end of Ball's Hill. Gilbert heard one on the 17th
in the Blakeman woods but I have not heard any drumming
before since April 28th.
  Two ragged, soiled, bedraggled-looking Chickadees visited
the suet at the cabin to-day & helped themselves freely.
The only sound they made was the low, querulous sh’å-de,
sh’å-de, or sh’å-der-de peculiar to this season. Is this a love note?
Chickadees are very scarce this spring.
[margin]Chickadees
Still eating suet.
Their May
call note.[/margin]
85