Concord, Mass.
1909
May 16
  Cloudy & cool with strong E. wind. Heavy rain in
early morning and late afternoon.
  Started up river at 2 P.M. Sailed nearly all the way to
the Hemlocks on the Assabet. Paddled back (5-6 P.M.)
Red-wings as numerous as I have ever known them to be
along this stretch of river. I must have seen over forty, about
evenly divided as to sexes. Bobolinks in fair numbers. Some
of their best breeding grounds along the meadow branches opposite
the Hunt farm house grown up to dense thickets of hardhack
& other bushes. Of Kingbirds & Yellow Warblers I saw as many
as usual. Spotted Sandpipers scarce. I noted only a single pair.
Robins singing in every direction between Flints' & Red bridges. 
A Flicker shouting on the Buttrick place. As I was paddling
under North Bridge I happened to look up and there directly
over me, perched in the top of a large oak, sat a male Sparrow Hawk
preening his feathers.
  A Bittern was pumping in Mill Brook meadow. Two
others came flying from a distance rather high in air. One
descended on set wing & alighted near the pumper. The
other kept on over the marsh towards the eastward.
I saw a Bittern passing over the east side of Ball's Hill this
forenoon. They fly about freely in the day time
when the weather is dark & lowery.
Bitterns