Concord, Mass.
1902.
Oct.12
  It rained steadily through last night and at daybreak 
this morning there was a strong north-east wind driving sheets
of fine rain across the meadows. The rain ceased about noon
and the sun came out about 3 P.M. The remainder of the
afternoon was hot and dead calm with oppressively warm, humid
air.
  At 11 A.M. as I was rowing Walter Faxon across the
river to the cabin we started a Coot from the reeds at
the mouth of the boat canal. It alighted in the open
water and when pursued kept well out of gun range, taking
a succession of short flights and keeping near the middle
of the river most of the time. We saw its white bill
distinctly.
A Coot in the river opposite the cabin.
  We started the bevy of Quail in the orchard at
the farm in the afternoon. They are remarkably wild 
after rising, as they did on this occasion, thirty or forty 
yards off but merely flying to the edge of the nearest cove.
  Small birds appeared to be rather scarce & we saw
nothing of any especial interest. There was a White-billed
Nuthatch in the orchard near the schoolhouse & another 
in Benson's elms.
  Shortly after sunset we went to Holden's Hill. To
my surprise we heard a great number of Rusty Blackbirds
in the old roosting place among the button bushes at
the head of Beaver Dam Lagoon. Judging by the noise
they made there must have been one hundred or more.
There presence there accounts for my having heard
them passing the cabin in some numbers almost every
morning lately.
Roost of Rusty Grackles re-established at Beaver Dam Lagoon.
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