Concord, Mass.
1902.
May 25
(No 2)
  The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was shy or, at least,
elusive for we failed to get a sight at him although
we followed him for some distance through the pitch
woods near the crest of the ridge. He called, however,
almost incessantly uttering a low, plaintive tu-e which
reminded us both of that of a young Goldfinch but which
seemed to be merely an individual variation of the usual
free-e of E. flaviventris.
  I had confidently expected to hear Wood Thrushes at
the farm for the weather was exceptional favorable &
the Vireos were singing all the forenoon but not a
Wood Thrush could we find although we visited all the
usual haunts. I begin to fear that something has
happened to the birds which have frequented this locality
every summer for the past six or eight years at least.
  We also listened vainly last evening for Rails. The
Great Meadows are now in perfect condition for them
and the Red-winged Blackbirds have returned to their
breeding grounds there in force.
  There were two Bitterns pumping in these meadows
last evening and this morning while, as I have already
noted, I heard one of them several times during the
middle of the night.
  The Black & White Creepers nest which I found building
on the on the hillside in front of the new cabin was
empty to-day & the disordered condition of the lining
indicated that It had been robbed. Both of the
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