Concord, Mass.
1900.
April 5
  Cloudy with fine, drizzling rain in the afternoon.
Rather warm with scarce any wind.
  Took the 1.47 P.M. train from Boston. As I
walked down to the boat-house from the W. Bedford
station Song Sparrows were in several directions.
The air seemed full of Red-wings flying to & fro
over the fields in small flocks and a large flock
were singing in the maple woods near the edge
of the river. There were at least a dozen Robins
in the sandy field behind the boat house &
several of the males were in full song. I also
saw two Rusty Blackbirds and two Tree Sparrows.
  Soon after reaching the cabin I started to walk
to the farm. Just as I reached Bensen's pasture I
heard Geese honking. The sound as it first came
to my ears from a distance of perhaps a mile
was exceedingly like the baying of hounds. Presently
I caught sight of the noble birds high up over
the Great Meadows stretched out in a line nearly
one hundred yards in length and extending at a
right angle to their line of flight. As they advanced
they changed to the harrow formation and inclined
their flight to the westward passing nearly over
the Barrett house, then sweeping eastward over the
Green Field, then back up river past Davis's Hill,
next directly over the cabin at Ball's Hill, finally
wheeling again and going off towards the north east.
What a clamor they made! At times they
would burst out into a general outcry, then
after a moment of silence and old gander would
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