1906
April 7
Concord, Mass.
  Brilliantly clear with fresh, cold N.W. wind. The
ground froze hard last night. James says the thermometer
stood at 26 degrees at 6 A.M.
  A Robin, a Bluebird and a Fox Sparrow were
singing near the house about sunrise. Later in the 
morning I heard a few Song Sparrows and Juncos, a
Nuthatch and a Flicker. There are evidently comparatively
few migrating Sparrows about the place but whether
they have passed or are still to come I do not know.
About 4 P.M. Wood Frogs were croaking by scores in 
the pond below the orchard and I heard a few in
the meadow across the road. As I heard no Hylas I 
begin to think that Mr. Emerson's "frogs" must have 
been Wood Frogs.
  A pair of White-bellied Nuthatches spent most of 
the forenoon in the elms near the house. The male uttered
his ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha at frequent intervals.
Although far from musical this call has a very
pleasing quality to my ear. It is more joyous than
are most bird songs.
  I am more and more impressed, as I get older,
with the sad, or at least, plaintive quality of most 
music, especially that heard at this season. The
Song Sparrows are still singing the low, plaintive notes
that they use so much for the first week or two
after their arrival.
  I saw a male Cooper's Hawk this afternoon flying
westward over the pines near the Ritchie place. He was
moving slowly, with alternate flapping and gliding, in a
perfectly straight course.