Concord, Mass.
1901.
July 20
  Clear and warm with moderate west wind.
  Took the 3.15 P.M. train from Lancaster and
drove down to the farm reaching there about five o'clock
and spending upwards of an hour strolling about in
the garden and orchard. Two Robins and two Chippies
were singing near the house while the songs of two Towhees
and a Field sparrow came from the blueberry pastures
in the distance to the westward. A Scarlet Tanager was
singing steadily and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at intervals
on the edge of the woods to the south. Shortly before
six o'clock a Partridge drummed twice on the old
wall at the foot of the run. Eight or ten Swifts
and nearly as many Barn Swallows were flying
about over the house and orchard. I saw a
Hummingbird in the flower garden and a Cotton-tail
Rabbit among the vegetables. The tame Pigeons were
coming or going on distant flights and cooing on the
roof the shed. Altogether it was a pretty and
most peaceful place - this old neglected farm - in the
drowsy calm of this midsummer afternoon.
  As I was standing in front of the house I heard
the rattle of a Hairy Woodpecker in the direction of the
big elm. It was followed by a clamor of squeaking cries
which I at first thought must be made by Red Squirrels.
But on following up the sounds I found that they were
uttered by a brood of Hairy Woodpeckers. There were
at least three young birds besides the old female. They
were chasing one another about in the tall locusts
which overarch the public road just beyond the elm.
All the young appeared to be fully grown & feathered.
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