Concord, Mass.
1912.
July 20
[July 20, 1912]

  The river is flowing just now through a wildflower
garden of exceeding beauty, extending on both sides from
Ball's Hill all the way to Carlisle bridge and beyond
and made up of broad belts of white water lilies
backed by narrower ones of purple-flowered pickerel weed,
with button bushes covered with creamy white blossom
forming the back ground. I sailed almost to the bridge
in canoe this afternoon and was thrilled by the
wonderful display of color. There were plenty
of Red wings and Bobolinks wheeling in flocks over the 
marshes and clustering about the beds of wild rice
but I saw few other birds except Swallows most of
which were Barn Swallows. The only birds heard singing
were Red-wings, Song Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows.
The Veeries were wholly silent even after sunset. The two
young Veeries in the nest by the path near the cabin which
hatched a week ago to-morrow are half grown & partly feathered.