Concord, Mass.
1900.
April 19
(The Farm)
  Early morning cloudy with heavy showers at & just before
day break. The clouds began parting at 9 A.M. and by noon
the sky was clear. The afternoon was brilliantly clear with
the highest temperature we have had as yet. Ther. 56 degrees - 70 degrees.
Wind W. blowing almost a gale in the afternoon.
  To the Barrett farm at 7.30 driving up. Birds singing
freely. Heard the first Martin of the season at Ball's Hill,
then first Field Sparrows at the farm. A Grass Finch
was singing in Bensen's pasture & another on the farm
where I also saw or heard Robins, a Blue Bird, a Cow Bird,
a Song Sparrow, and a Blue Jay. A pair of Phoebees  are
flitting about at the entrance to the farm cellar
and the male rose in the air once and gave the flight
song. Two or three Juncos are flitting about in the
overhead singing and I saw a flock of about ten
near Mrs. Ritche's. The men tell me that a small Hawk
has been harrying my Pigeons at the farm but I have
not yet seen a raptorial bird of any kind.
Hawk after
my pigeons
  I saw at least two Red Squirrels near the house & a
Chipmunk ran over the front door step twice while
I was there.
  I returned to the cabin at noon & spent the
greater part of the afternoon writing. At about 5 P.M.
the wind increased almost to a gale tearing off hundreds
of leaves from the oaks above the cabin and whirling
them high in air where they circled like flocks of birds.
They have probably been loosened by the swelling buds
for I saw several fall from the trees when there was no wind.
Oak leaves 
that have clung
to the trees are
winter forced off
by swelling buds?
  A Meadow Lark was singing across the river this morning.
Toads began trilling last night.
Toads Trill
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