1902.
May 10
  Brilliantly clear with high N.W. wind. Water in
tubs at the farm as well as across the river (at Mc.Grath's)
was skimmed over with ice this morning. The vegetation
does not seem to have suffered, however.
  I spent the entire day in and about the
cabins. There seemed to be only a few birds even
on the sheltered side of the Hill where the sun beat
down warmly enough. There was almost no singing.
  At evening I walked along the river path with
Mr. Leverett. The weather had moderated & the air
felt rather warm but the birds continued almost
totally silent. The Bittern was pumping, however.
  More than 100 Swallows, of which Eaves constituted
about seventy, Barns twenty and Banks ten per cent,
were skimming about over the Beaver Dam Meadow,
There were also numbers of Chimney Swifts, probably
not less than 100, flying over the tops of the neighboring 
oaks.
  At Bensen's landing we saw three Rose breasted
Grosbeaks, two fine males and a female, feeding in
company in the top of a small gray birch less than
ten feet above the ground. They kept close together, much
of the time within six or eight inches of one another,
and the two male birds seemed to be on the best of
terms. The female is the first I have seen this season.
As I was watching these birds I could not help wondering
why they are equipped with such ponderous & massive bills.
So far as I know they never eat other than soft food.
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