Cambridge, Mass.
1902.
Sept.3
  Brilliantly clear with light E. wind.
  Awakening at about 4.30 A.M. I heard the single call 
of a Robin coming from the lilacs and at once went into the
bathroom and took a seat by the open window. The east was 
bright with the coming dawn but there was so little daylight
that I could see nothing distinctly in the Garden. Nevertheless
several Robins had already left the roost for I could
hear them calling to one another from the tops of the taller
trees in the "jungle." A few moments later five or six
started from the lilacs with loud calls showing themselves
dimly as they rose against the sky. Almost immediately 
afterwards three larger detachments went off in quick
succession each making a loud whirring sound of wings
quite equal to that produced by a strong bevy of Quail.
As I could not see them in the gloom I have no idea 
how many there were but judging by the sound there
must have been at least fifty in each detachment. They
seemed to make straight off without rising above the trees.
Single birds and small parties continued to follow them
and the last bird disappeared shortly before 5 (at about 
4.50). At this time it was scarcely broad daylight and
the sun did not rise until half-an-hour later (5.27).
Immediately after the main rush departed two or three
old males began singing, keeping it up for a minute or two.
Most of the single birds uttered the laughing cry on first
taking wing but those of the heavy flights departed
in silence save for the sound of their wings. A few
birds lingered in the tops of neighboring trees during
the earlier exodus but the majority, as I have already said,
went straight off to a distance - towards the E. & N.E.
Robin roost in Garden.
Departures of birds at daybreak.
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