Concord, Mass.
1907.
Nov. 23
  Forenoon brilliantly clear with keen, rather strong
N.W. - wind but bright warm sunshine. The wind fell
early in the afternoon and after an interval of dead
calm a light, easterly breeze started bringing clouds and
pronounced chilliness.
  To Concord for the day taking the 8.17 train
from Boston and leaving it at West Bedford.
  On reaching the woods by the river I found in
them a small mixed flock of wintering birds consisting
of four Chickadees, two Golden-crested Kinglets, a
Brown Creeper and two White-bellied Nuthatches, both
apparently males for both had full black caps.
  Launching the little cedar canoe I paddled across
the flooded meadows which were wholly free from ice
(although frozen over last week, I am told) and up the
channel of the river as far as the Beaver Dam Rapid.
It was sunny and warm under the lee of the
wooded hills that have bound the river on the north
and the morning light was remarkably clear and
strong bringing out the russets and dull purples of the
oak foliage and the bleached straw yellow or yellowish
brown of the grasses along the edge of the water. For
a time, indeed, the coloring was very rich and
pleasing, if somewhat subdued, but later in the day
it faded, almost to a monotone, as the light waned
and the sky clouded over. As I skirted the shore
of Balls Hill I heard Chickadees and a Nuthatch
(perhaps the same met with across the river) and saw
two Blue Jays flitting about among the oaks. Two