Concord, Mass.
Ball's Hill.
1900.
August 9
  Clear and very warm with light N.W. wind.
  Spent most of the forenoon near the cabin and on the 
Barrett meadow where the men were working on a new
roadway. Birds were silent & apparently scarce.
  In the afternoon Gilbert rowed me up river to
Concord where I took the train for Jaffrey.
  At the head of the "Holt" we passed within 2 yards
of a Bittern which was standing erect & motionless on 
the bank. The grass had been recently cut & removed
and there was absolutely nothing left that could afford
the bird the least concealment. His neck was stretched up
to its full length, his bill pointing straight upward.
He turned his head from side to side every few seconds
but made no other motion. In spite of his large size
& conspicuous position his coloring matched his general
surroundings so admirably that we nearly passed without
seeing him. After we had got some 20 yards above him
he flew across the river & alighted under some maples.
Bittern
  Just above Red Bridge we saw five or six Cow birds
on the ground in a position among some cows. Whenever
one of the latter animals started on ahead of the rest the
Cow birds would range themselves on each side close to
its lowered muzzle and rise rapidly or just ahead 
of it.
Cow birds
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