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130 1897 May 8 Continued a Wilson's Thrush. He remained silent a moment and then disappeared. I was glad to see the bird whose beautiful notes I hear so much at Whitefield. Just before I reached this place I had bira fine view of a pair of Towhees. They were scratching about under the bushes by the stone wall and as I stopped and looked at them through my glass the male hopped up on to a branch in full view and very close to me. I had a fine opportunity to observe his fine markings and his red eye. He uttered a sharp Che-wink as he looked at me and after a few minutes he joined his more somber mate in the bush. After a while I saw another pair. The male flew into a small tree close by and uttered his call many times. After the Thrush, no birds came to my haunt, so I moved on. I walked down the road, keeping a sharp lookout, a Black and White Creeper jumped on to a small tree trunk and uttered a faint see-see-see-see —. At the foot of Marsh St. a group White-throated Sparrows were sitting in the bushes and some were singing that exquisite song I hear from dawn till dusk at Whitefield, N.H. I had a very fine sight of these birds,
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131 1897 May 8 — Continued and saw plainly the three white head stripes and the snowy white throat. It was a treat. But all this time no warblers where the Nashville and the Prairie Warblers should be. A Brown Thrasher hidden among the scrub was uttering his cluck and cat-like call but that was all. I then wheeled off to the Willows where I saw in vegetation and in birds the same as I saw yesterday. I heard the dainty little Chebee, snapping out his call with vigorous shakes of the headn and I saw the Yellow-rumped Warblers hopping about busily and quietly from branch to branch. Never did I hear the Bobolinks singing so beautifully, while the noisy Red-wings were predominant. As I returned throuh the Willows I thought I would visit once more the corner of Marsh St. and I might see a new Warbler. I had seen a Warbler off Marchs St., yesterday, as it fly from tree to tree, but I could not get a good view of it. I noted its song carefully and Will Brewster thought it was the Nashville. I reached the corner, dismounted, and as I was watching the Peabody birds that were still there, suddenly there flew into a bush in front of me a Nashville Warbler. It gave me a thrill of pleasure, and as the sun shone on it, I could observe it finely.
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132 1897 — — May 8 — Concluded That sight alone repaid me for the trip I walked home by Waverly in time for dinner at one —
This afternoon Mr. Purdie, George & I walked over to the West Cambridge Station by Fresh Pond. We saw a Bank Swallow on the way. We took the train to the Devil's Den on Arlington Heights in a fine piece of woods reserved as a park by the town. The birds were very silent but saw a few of interest. A few specimens in full nuptial plumage of a Night Heron flew over our heads and lit in a tree near by where we saw him perfectly. He staid about the woods and was soon joined by a mate. They are doubtless nesting. I also heard the song of the Black-throated Green Warbler, not the song I heard yesterday. The bird has two songs — We followed up a small flight of warblers that were flying actively about and at last got a good view of one on a branch with the sun well on him. It was a Yellow Palm Warbler a Yellow Red Poll. This was our first introduction. The other bird of interest was a ♂ {male} Cow bird. The views were fine. We returned by electrics from Arlington. I got hom by 7 o'clock, ready for supper —————
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133 — 1897 — — May 9 — — Cambridge, Mass. — 2 1/2 m. Total 590 1/2 m. Another glorious morning ornithologically. At breakfast Will came over and said the there wer some good birds in the garden. I rushed over and he showed me a Parula Warbler in the willow. I had a good view of him and heard his song, a simple note. Then I noticed the constant uplifting of the tail, peculiar to this species only. The White-throated Sparrows were abundant and tame. The markings of the head and throat are beautiful. Mrs. Kettell came in and joined us. We saw a White-throated bathe in the pond. A Least Fly catcher was calling in the tree-tops. W. saw a Water Thrush, but I didn't see him.
Later Mrs. K. & I went up to Mt. auburn and there we had a treat. We went to the little pond near the gatewey and soon we saw that warblers were abundant in two Norway Spruces by the water. I never enjoyed anything more that making out these little fellows as they glided about. In these trees we saw the Parula, Black-throated Blue, Myrtle or Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Yellow Palm Warblers and a Gold finch. In an Elm close by were Black & White Warblers and in a Norway Spruce nearer the gate was a Red Start. Yellow Warblers were every where. White-throated Sparrows were abundant under the trees. — I visited Mt. Auburn this P.M. Saw almost the same birds again and in addition a Baltimore Oriole in flight and a Kingbird sitting on the top of a tree. The White-throats were singing beautifully. I met Mr. & Mrs. Kettell at the gate, so we kept together — This A.M. I heard that Mrytle W. singing.
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134 — 1897 — May 10 — Cambridge, Mass. — 4 1/2 m. Total 595 m. This morning I wheeled up to Mt. Auburn and walked over a large part of it. There were no birds in the Spruces by the pond by the gate. At the further end of the grounds I saw Black-throated Great Myrtle Warblers. Peabody Birds and a Chebee. The two latter were in some willows just outside of the grounds. I saw two Baltimore Orioles in the grounds, one in the willows mentioned above and one in Mrs R an apple tree in Mr Kidder's yard on Brattle Street. I was much pleased to see in a large Hemlock by a small pond in Mt. Auburn a Black & Yellow Warbler and a Parula Warbler. I sat on a stone on a bank close to the tree and watched the former, nearly quarter of an hour. I saw the yellow spot on the Parula's back very distinctly. A Phoebe sang his Pee-wit Phoebe note and the whole scene was very attractive.
This afternoon I went over to the Gray Herb. to do a little Club work. I wandered over the grounds to see what birds were there. In a tree near Barden St. a Downy Woodpecker was sitting tapping at intervals his love call. He had been doing it all day, Mr. Carmen said. It was very loud. By the Pond on the further side I saw in the willows & beeches, a Parula Warbler, Black & White Warbler, 2 or 3 Myrtle Warblers, several White-throated Sparrows and a Vireo that I feel met be the Red-Eyed.
Went to Mt. Auburn from 4 to 5. Saw by the large pond in N.E. corner, a very noisey King Fisher, and a parie of King Birds. The latter were very near me sitting on two white tomb stones. Their snow white breasts in nuptial feathers, rivalled the color of the marble. Two Flickers were pecking in the grass for