Concord, Mass.
1901.
March 27
  Clear with rather strong W. wind. A fine day, not cold,
the air dry & bracing.
  A heavy north-easter with pouring rain prevailed all day
yesterday sending me to Cambridge where I passed last
night. I came back this morning by the 8.34 train.
As I walked slowly down to the river from the station
the air was filled with the tender bird music of early
spring. It was very subdued and all the performers seemed
to be at a distance although many of them were really
close about me. The majority were Song Sparrows but there
were several Bluebirds warbling in Parker's orchard and a
Phoebe singing on the topmost spray of a tall maple at
the edge of the meadows.
  Crossing the river in the little canoe I spent the forenoon
at Ball's Hill. A few Song Sparrows were scattered along
the river path and a Chickadee was calling Phoebe near
the cabin but the woods near by were for the most part
barren of bird life.
  In the afternoon I walked to the farm by way of the
Davis's Swamp path and Birch Field. Started a Partridge
& heard another drumming in the stone wall in Woodcock
Run. There were a few Robins on the farm and in the
old orchard behind the house I saw a pair of Bluebirds
and a flock of eight Juncos. Gilbert saw two
Fox Sparrows in Carlisle but I met with none to-day.
Miss White writes me that they were abundant in the
Ball's Hill woods on the 23rd and that she found one
flock at the cabin. No doubt the bulk of the flight
has already passed north.
  I got back to the cabin at 4 P.M. and at 5.30
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