30
Concord, Mass.
Spring and early summer.
1913.

69. Crow.  March 18 - July 2. No marked north-bound flights noted.
Breeding birds present in normal numbers; among them from 
first to last, ranging from West Bedford to our farm but
chiefly frequenting the woods about Ball's Hill, was the odd-voiced
bird which has haunted this region at all seasons for the past
four or five years. His caw, carr cry was heard this spring almost 
daily. On one occasion I was almost sure that two different
birds were giving it and Pat Flannery is quite positive that
at least two make use of it. A pair of Crows were constantly
hanging about our orchard and farm buildings through May and
June - evidently on the keen lookout for birds' nests and occasioning
much anxiety to the breeding Robins who were ever harrying them.
They alighted in the early morning in our poultry yard to feed
on the grain strewn plentifully there but made no obvious attempts
to molest any of the young chickens in a neighboring enclosure.
At Ball's Hill I saw them beating the marshes in search of nests
pursued by irate Red-wings wherever they went.

70. Blue Jay. - March 20 - July 1. No evidence of any north-bound
migration except perhaps on May 18 [May 18, 1913] when I noted at least 10 scattered birds between our house & Birch Id. [ Birch Island]
Exceptionally scarce through the entire season. I rarely
saw or heard them at the Farm and doubt if more than two or
three pairs breed anywhere within our boundaries. As usual there
was a nest in the dense clusters of young white pines to the eastward
of the well house at Ball's Hill. When, on June 9 [June 9, 1913], these trees were 
sprayed by Pierce & his men the Jay remained on her nest during
the whole time just as she did two years ago. On the 11th [June 11, 1913]
she was still sitting although after she had left the nest on this 
occasion I found, to my suspicion, that the young were almost
fully grown & fledged. The weather, at this time (on both days) was
cloudless & not unseasonably cool.