Concord, Mass.
1900.
May 17
  The colony of Bronzed Grackles on the Hoar place
appears to be sadly reduced in numbers. Indeed I
saw not more than four or five birds than this
afternoon. O.A. Lorthop tells me that these Grackles
are also very scarce in the Cambridge region this
year. What can have happened to them all?
Bronzed 
Grackle
colony at
the Hoar
place.
  At the Keyes' where I spent half-an-hour
on my return I found a House Wren singing as
the upper end of the orchard where there was
one last year.
House Wren
  The flock of Barn Swallows just mentioned
were dashing about in the twilight between
Ball's Hill & Beaver Dam Rapid flying in a compact
bunch like Sandpipers, now high in air with low
over the meadows. It was quite evident that
they were preparing to go to roost but I failed
to find out just where.
Barn
Swallows
evidently
assembling
to roost at
evening near
Balls  Hill
  White-bellied Swallows appear to be very scarce here
now. I saw only three along the river this afternoon
all of which, however, were probably breeding. Two
were flying about the willow stumps in the head
of the Holt where they have mated for so many years,
the third was perched in a dead tree above
Egg Rock.
Tree Swallows
scarce.
  I omitted to note that during our walk this
morning we heard a Red Crossbill & a Canada Nuthatch
on Pine Ridge.
Red Crossbill
Canada Nuth.
80