Concord, Mass.
1901
Oct.12
(No.2)
chasing one another about among the tops of the
trees. Although so active and animated these birds
were almost completely silent during the time I
spent watching them. Foggy weather appears to exert
almost as depressing an influence on birds and
other wild animals as does a high cold wind.
  Early in the afternoon I saw a Black-billed Cuckoo
perched on a stake in the flower garden eating
a large hairy caterpillar. After finishing its repast
it remained for several minutes almost perfectly
motionless, in a crouching position. I approached within
less than twenty feet when I could distinctly see
by the light markings on the back and wings
that it was a young bird. Not improbably, it
may have been the same individual that I
found among the birches behind the barn three
or four days ago. If I remember rightly this is
an exceptionally late date for the occurrence of
the Black-billed Cuckoo in Massachusetts.
  The maple foliage, although still glorious in color,
had unmistakably faded since yesterday when it
was at its highest perfection. Only a very few of
the leaves have fallen as yet but a rain or
high wind would probably now strip many of
the trees in the course of a few hours. Most
of the brighter tints are contributed by the red
maples and tupelos but the leaves of the white maples, which
ordinarily nearly turn brown, are this season pale
yellow tinged with pink or salmon and some
of the trees are really quite showy at a distance.
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