1902
May 13
  Brilliantly clear with strong N.W. wind in P.M.
Early morning calm and warm; evening cool - almost frosty.
Arrivals.
  Black-poll Warblers. - A male singing in the pines behind
Ball's Hill this morning. Wilson's Black-cap. - A high plumaged male in alder
thicket behind Ball's Hill, singing freely at 8 A.M.
  These were the only two birds new to the spring list
but several of the species which arrived before were perceptibly
increased in numbers to-day. This was especially marked
in the cases of the Grosbeaks and Cat-birds.
  The Cat-bird which nests in the thickets just to the
eastward of the cabin arrived yesterday and this morning
he was joined by his mate. At about 8.30 A.M. I saw
four birds of this species together near the birch gate. They
were in the trees on the edge of the river & acting in a singular
manner. When one flew he was followed in quick succession
by all the others. The first bird would alight in the top
of a small tree, usually a birch, & the others would cluster
closely about him when all four would lengthen out their
necks & point their bills almost straight upward at
the same time spreading their tails and uttering a variety
of low wheezy sounds with an occasional harsh squawk
none of these notes being like any ordinarily used
in the birds' song. After posing in this absurd fashion
for a minute or two during which they would sometimes
hop about a little among the twigs working their way
slowly upward through the branches the would fly to
another tree & continue the singular performances.
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