Concord, Mass.
Ball's Hill
1900.
October 8
  Sunny most of the day but the sky half-filled with
masses of clouds. Oppressively warm with light S. W. wind. Bring
showers in afternoon and steady & rather heavy rain all this
evening.
  This was a day rather memorable for the number of large
birds which appeared over Ball's Hill. At noon two
Herring Gulls (most unusual visitors at this season) passed
southward pausing to wheel about over the river in front
of the cabin before continuing on their way.
Large birds
Herring Gulls.
  At about 2 P.M. a flock of 20 Black Ducks came
from the northward directly over Ball's Hill and then
turning westward disappeared around Holden's Hill flying
at a considerable height and in the shape of a harrow
like Geese.
Black Ducks
  An hour later an Osprey circled over the Barrett Meadow
low down and then poised for a moment over the river
finally going off over the words in the direction of
Davis's Hill.
Osprey
  Still later a female Marsh Hawk appeared over Great
Meadow which she beat thoroughly without, however,
finding any game, at least which I was watching her.
Marsh Hawk
  Of small birds I saw only few, a Nuthatch
(carolinensis) at Holden's Hill, two Song Sparrows on
the edge of the river, three Rusty Blackbirds flying, and
a few Chickadees over the cabin being nearly a full
list. There was also a Kingfisher rattling & plunging
into the water along the wooded edge of the river
at the base of the Hill.
Small birds
Kingfisher
103