1903.
April 9
  A.M. brilliantly clear with light N.W. wind. Clouds gathered
in P.M.
  Returned to Concord by the morning train. The forenoon
was so delightful that I spent most of it at Ball's Hill
and the farm rambling about in the woods. There were
very many birds and they sang freely. Antiopa, Angle wing
and Bluet Butterflies were flitting about in the openings.
  Rue anenome and Houstonia in bloom at the cabin & blood
root making a great show. The frost seems to have done 
little if any permanent harm. A few tulips had fully opened
their caps at the farm house.
  During my walk I heard the Partridges drumming, one on
the storm wall at Ball's Hill, one near the spring, the third
at the front of the Barnett run. A Grass Finch was singing
at West Bedford, another in Pine Park, a third in Green
Field and a fourth at the farm. I also heard three Field
Sparrows & the same number of Pine Warblers.
  As I was passing through Birch Field the Cooper's Hawk
began cackling in the same place where I heard him yesterday
Presently his cry was answered by another bird. On going 
quickly to the spot I saw both birds, a pair. The male followed
me to approach nearly within gun-shot but the female was very
shy. Both cackled alike: - cac; cac; cac; ca-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
I also heard one of them with a chuckling ka-e; ka-e, ka-e
which is new to me. It had a peculiar whining intonation &
was very unlike the cackle. The male started from the dead
lower branches of a larger white pine. This is evidently his
favorite perch for the ground beneath was dotted with chalk
marks & strewn with tufts of fur with fresh bloody skin 
attached of Field Mice! I could find no other remains of prey -