33
Concord, Mass.
Spring and early Summer.
1913.

Song(?)

78 Chimney Swift.  Arrived April 26 [April 26, 1913] (two, Concord Village). Comparatively
scarce in our neighborhood through May and June. At Ball's Hill,
where they used to congregate so numerously towards sunset and during
cloudy days, I saw them but seldom and never more than 3 or 4 together.
At the farm there were usually from 2 to 4 and occasionally as many
as 5 or 6, careening about over the trees at morning and evening. I
saw them entering the chimney of the Bungalow and then of our old
house. As we sat in the parlor after dark the sound of them
"drumming" and twittering frequently came from the flue which serves
the fire place there and was also heard at the fireplace in the south-east
lower room. On the evening of June 8 [June 8, 1913], just after sunset, I was
watching three birds flying together over our gardens when one of
them began uttering a monotonous chip, chip, chee repeating it several
times in succession. These notes were distinctly unlike those of the
ordinary flight calls and closely similar to those of the daybreak
song of the Tree Swallow. I cannot help suspecting that they
represented some attempt at a real song or hitherto unheard by me.

79. Whippoorwill.  Last year there were apparently no Whippoorwills
breeding anywhere in the neighborhood of Ball's Hill or our Farm for
a bird singing to the northward of the latter on the evening of May 23 [May 23, 1913]
was the only one I noted. This year we heard them almost every 
favorable evening from our farm house, from May 15 [May 15, 1913] to June 14 [June 14, 1913], and
occasionally two were singing at once. As a rule their voices seemed
to come from the rather distant woodlands at the rear of Lawrence's
beyond the old Bigelow road but wandering birds sometimes
approached much nearer and about 8 P.M. one gave
us a rather overwhelming serenade, apparently from the stone
wall curb directly in front of the house. Another sang once or
twice in Pulpit Rock woods. None were noted at Ball's Hill .
Mr. Dexter [Smith Owen Dexter] heard them in various places at Concord.