23
Spring and early summer.
Concord, Mass.
1913

44. White-Bellied Swallow. Arrived April 2 [April 2, 1913] (1 at farm). No marked flight of
north-bound migrants. Breeding birds more numerous than usual, occupying
almost every box I put out for them. Three pairs noted at Farm, one at
Ritchie place, two in Bensen's pasture & Pine Park, three in the meadow
at east end of Ball's Hill. As far as I could make out they all reared their
broods but, strange to say, were still going in and out of the nests at the
very end of June while no young were seen on wing up to that time.
At the Farm they harried our breeding House Wrens incessantly and
whenever a Hawk appeared gave chase to it at once with noisy clamor
the entire colony trailing on close behind it like the tail of a comet.
A Sparrow Hawk which appeared there occasionally seemed especially
to excite and enrage them. They paid no attention whatever to passing
Crows even when these came very near their nests. At daybreak
I frequently heard the monotonous, unmusical twit-twit-tse songs
of the males. The sweet, low, rippling calls of both sexes at
the season of love making and nest building went on all day,
almost ceaselessly and were to my ears among the most delightful
of all bird voices about the place. On April 26 I saw a pair
carrying nesting material into a box at short intervals through the
entire day.

45. Bank Swallow. Arrived May 9 [May 9, 1913]. Very scarce this year. I seldom
noticed them in May or June, even at Ball's Hill, and no more than
4 or 5 were seen at any one time. Whether or not any nested
in the bank near the Catholic Cemetery I do not know.

46. Scarlet Tanager. - Arrived May 8 [May 8, 1913]. No obvious north bound flight.
Breeding birds less numerous than usual. Through June a [male] sang
regularly on or near Ball's Hill (usually in oak woods bordering Pine Park,
another near the Barrett spring, a third at the Farm either in
the elms near our house or in those along lane. On July 2 [July 2, 1913] I heard
2 males singing not far apart near Ball's Hill (in oaks at Pine Park).