Lexington, Mass.
1916
January 6.
[January 6, 1916]

Evening Grosbeaks

  Brilliantly clear with fresh, cool westerly winds. Ground
covered to depth of 4 or 5 inches with ice-crusted snow, melting
rather freely in sheltered & sunny places, for the day was not really
cold.
  Went to Lexington this morning with Walter Dean to
see some Evening Grosbeaks. They were first noticed there on
January 3 [January 3, 1916] by Dr. W. M. Tyler who informed me of the
fact by telephone that evening and requested me to announce 
it at the Nuttall Club meeting. Five birds were seen together
on this occasion. Only three could be found next morning [January 4, 1916]
when Dr. Tyler and Mr. Walter Faxon visited the place together,
not to remain there long, however, for that day was bitterly 
cold and very windy. Walter Dean went with Dr. Tyler
yesterday [January 5, 1916], when the temperature was comfortably mild but
the sky overcast, with light rain falling. After waiting for a
considerable length of time they saw nine Grosbeaks alight
in a Box Elder where they were watched at close range
for half an hour. They were eating the winged seeds
with which the tree was well laden. Walter made careful
observations as to just how they dealt with them and
has it all written out in his journal. He told me
about it during a telephone talk we had last evening
where I agreed to go with him to Lexington this
morning, in the hope that the Grosbeaks might favor 
me, also, as they had him. When the much larger
flock was frequenting the village of Leominster a few 
years ago most of our local ornithologists journeyed thither
to see the birds, among which were several old males. I declined
to go with the rest because [I was] hopeful of some day achieving the same
result without similar guidance. The nearest I have since come to it
was when I merely heard the flight call of a Hesperiphona at Bethel
two years ago. Hence it seemed best not to let the present chance pass.