OCTOBER 
October 25, 1903 - Sund ay. 
This morning after breakfast I went down in 
the fields. The old pasture seemed almost desert- 
e<i . It is indeed fall. One or two song sparrows 
^ere seen in a brushpile and a little farther some 
Ohncoes. Nearly all of the great host seen here a 
few weeks ago has departed. 
Crossbills were flying overhead in various 
8 ized flocks, sometimes they were so high up that 
I could not see them at all, and again I would only 
Se Q the light parts of the wings as the sun struck 
them. Once I thought tbs.t a small flock were going 
t° light but they circled away again. 
A flock of quail were feeding along the ditch, 
ran into the weeds and I could see their heads 
f 1 ® I approached. They blundered up singly or by 
tv/os through the weeds and flew off with low notes. 
The 
n Seeley’s marsh yet, and tree sparrows were thick 
as were juncoes in some localities. 
Bluebirds were rather common. I saw them in 
he air and also flycatching near the ground?, pre- 
s bmably on an insect which much resembled the 
tiosquito but had longer legs and no bill and was a 
*ttle larger. I mistook one for a phoebe. One 
sang and examined attentively the woodpecker 
°le8 in an old tree. Ke drove the tree sparrows 
& *ay. 
. Two red-tailed hawks were seen. One screamed 
r om the top of the hemlocks at ny approach and 
11 bally flew away. 
. Blue jays were quite noticeable. They fed in 
6 cornfields and on acorns and could be seen 
Bparently crossing the valley from one bluff to 
other. An oak tree when it is covered with 
^ °bns is the center to which many return. Certain 
v bbiet- 8 ° em ra0re attractive than others of the same 
y and are visited year after year. 
re were a number of swamp and a few song sparrows 
