Concord, Mass.
1901.
July 13
  Clear and comfortably cool but decidedly warmer than
yesterday. Calm most of the day.
  Birds sang freely all the morning and never less in
the afternoon also while at evening there was a fine
chorus. It struck me to-day that most of the species
that are singing at all now are in better voice than they
were at any time earlier in the season. This is especially 
noticeable with the Veeries, Vesper, Song and Swamp Sparrows, and
Scarlet Tanagers. Perhaps it is due to the long practise 
that they have had but I suspect that the real cause
lies deeper than this. Of the fact itself I am fully assured
nor is it new to me for I have noticed the same thing
in former years.
  I heard five Song Sparrows singing this morning. All were
on the river banks between the cabin and Beaver Dam Rapid.
One near the brick gate regularly ended his song with a pretty
trill so exactly like that of a Pine Warbler that I cannot
doubt he learned it originally from a bird of that species
perhaps the very one which we still hear daily on
Ball's Hill. I am a little puzzled to account for the
apparent increase in the number of Song Sparrows in
this neighborhood at this season but I suspect that
at least some of them come to the river from further
inland to rear their second broods. We always hear 
many more singing along the river in July than in 
May or June.
  The Red-eyed Vireos also appear to be more numerous
in those river woods than they were earlier in the season.
I heard no less than seven this morning, two on Ball's Hill,
two on Blakemore Ridge, three at Holden's Hill. All were in full song.
113