Concord, Mass.
1902.
August 24
  Forenoon clear and cool with strong N.W. wind. Afternoon cloudy.
  Purdie, Gilbert & I went to Concord by electric starting at 9.30.
A Red-eyed Vireo was singing fairly well near the West Bedford station.
The woods about the cabin were as silent as the grave and we
saw no bird there save an Oven bird.
Birds in song.
  Soon after entering the cabin we heard a Swift rumble in
the chimney. Looking up the flue I saw the wings & tail of a 
Swift projecting over the edge of the nest. There were really two birds
a young & an old one. The latter soon flew out leaving the young
bird which appears to be nearly full grown. It was hatched between
July 27 - when we saw all three eggs in the nest - and August 3
when one egg had hatched - the other two were infertile. Hence it
has already been in the nest more than three weeks. No doubt
the mother bird was feeding it when I first looked up the flue
to day but, as I have already said, it could see only a tail
& pair of wings. We have had a good fire in this chimney several
times since the young Swift hatched.
Young remains in nest over three weeks. Not injured by fire.
  At 3 P.M. Purdie & I started for the farm. On the
way we saw no birds save a flock of Chickadees. At the 
farm I heard an Oriole singing feebly and Towhees, Brown Thrashers,
a Cat-bird, & Song Sparrows chirping just before sunset.
Visit the farm
  After dark a prolonged, choking or gasping (or perhaps I should 
say whining), cry came a number of times from the cornfield.
in front of the house. It suggested the wail of a Screech Owl
but was louder & less tremulous. I attributed it to a Raccoon
but this was a mere guess for the sound was quite new to
me, never have I ever heard a Coon. Something is stealing
our corn by wholesale eating it on the cob without removing the
ears from the stalks. 
A Coon (?) "whinnering" in the cornfield
  A Screech Owl wailing near house at 10 P.M. The crickets in full song.
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