1907
Aug.20
(No 3)
Concord, Mass.
  The two birds heard, early this morning, in the
oaks near the cabin called almost incessantly for ten
or twelve minutes, giving practically every variation known
to me of the sounds which I have just described at
such length. As the light increased I noticed that
their voices were changing gradually and beginning to 
resemble those of Wilson's Thrushes. At length one of
them uttered an unmistakable call of that species
 - the ordinary phew, so like the sound of a man 
whistling his dog, as Burroughs puts it. This was
soon followed, on the part of both birds, by other
notes equally characteristic of the Veery, among
them the low vibrating or jarring cry. Thus
the solution of a mystery that has puzzled me
for many years has at length been vouchsafed me.
Night call identified as that of the Veery
  The birds heard on this occasion became 
silent before it was broad daylight. I think 
they were migrants that had arrived and 
settled among the oaks just before I awoke.
That they made all the sounds which I attributed
to them is beyond question. Equally certain is
it that the cries which they gave at first were 
the same as those which I have heard so often
at Lake Umbagog and which evidently represent
the night call of the species. As far as I have 
observed it is uttered by the Veery only at night
and during migration but this rule may be subject
to exceptions for the corresponding and closely similar
call of the Hermit is sometimes given by day,
even when the birds are still on their breeding grounds.