Concord, Mass.
1901.
July 10
  Clear and rather warm with light W. wind.
  Spent most of the day in the cabin writing but in
the early morning walked to Pine Hill and at evening along
the river path to Barrett Meadow and around the base of
Holden's Hill. Birds sang rather freely all day long but I
heard nothing especially interesting. The strong, clear-cut
bob, white of the Quail is now one of the most persistent
and characteristic sounds of this immediate neighborhood.
Two birds whistle at short intervals from early morning to
a little after sunset. Both are on the further side of the
river, in the direction of Hobb's Camp the other towards
the West Bedford Station.
  I doubt if any of the birds which have nested on
Ball's Hill this season (excepting, possibly, the Oven birds whose
nest, on the summit of the hill had young nearly half grown on
June 15) have succeeded in rearing young. It is really
pathetic to see the childless pairs of Tanagers, Grosbeaks, Red-eyes,
Chestnut-sided Warblers, Cat birds, etc. flitting listlessly
about the cabin unaccompanied by any progeny. Evidently
they have become tired of supplying the Blue Jays with
fresh eggs at least for this summer. The Robins have left
the Hill in disgust and I think the Wood Pewees have
also departed. The Jays still come into the oaks above
the cabin nearly every morning and I think that
there must be a Red-eye's nest which they have not
yet found and for which they are persistently seeking
for their presence invokes excited protests from one
pair of the Vireos. All the other small birds now
regard them with apparent indifference.
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