Walter Deane papers

4 Belmont, Mass 1901 Mar. 24 (2)

— Birds — Nine species observed at one spot.

An interesting bird episode on School St. Belmont, north of Washington St. on the slope of the hill where we paused to see & hear what we could. Across the field on our right, perched in the top of a large apple tree, sat a Meadow Lark singing most exquisitely. As I looked at him through my glass. I could plainly see him open wide his mandibles as he sang. He did not move his body. A hundred yards or less to the left, sat a Northern Shrike in the top of a large elm. After remaining there motionless several minutes he swooped off on a downward curve, passed close in front of us and alighted in a small apple tree in which were about a dozen Bronzed Grackles & Redwings. The Shrike was but two or three feet from a Grackle & a Redwing. Some the birds flew off and left him alone. The field about this apple-tree was occupied by a flock of forty Robins and a dozen or more Grackles & Redwings hopping about, feeding. We heard a Flicker [sh??ting], a Bluebird singing and saw two or three Crows. That made nine species that we observed while sitting in the buggy for about ten minutes. I omitted from the list a Song Sparrow —

5 Cambridge, Mass. 1901 April 14

Since my last entry of March 24, spring has been very slowly asserting itself. Most all the time the weather has been cold and chilly. For nearly two weeks past the sun has been invisible, heavy rains following cloudy days and it was a joy to wake up on April 12 and find a cloudless sky. Since then the weather has been glorious. The buds are swelling, and the elms look as if they soon would open out their leaves. Yesterday, the 13th, the Hepaticas were in bloom in the garden (Will Brewster's garden) and this morning I counted twenty little clusters of them, varying in color from white to purple. The Crocuses, Quills and Snow Drops by the Museum door have been in flower for some time, but it is only during the past three days, that under the influence of the bright sun, they have made a really beautifully display.

Friday, the 12th, I took a short drive with David into Belmont. At Kingsley Park I saw my first spring [First butterfly Antiopa] butterflies Antiopa, three or four specimens gaily dancing about in a bright sunny spot. This morning, in the garden I saw Milberti alight on [Milberti] a Crocus flower. It darted off on my approach. Last spring I captured one in the garden — On __ in the apple orchard through which the Parkway runs just north of Brattle Street a few [Tree Sparrows in full song.] rods. I heard a merry flock of Tree Sparrows in full song as they darted after each other from tree to tree. It was a rich melody — I saw my last Shrike on April 10 by the Cambridge [Shrike on April 10.] Hospital near Charles River. Two Fox Sparrows were in the garden in April, and I heard one of them sing several times.

8

BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE

A Counter-blast

At the birth of E. L. Rand, There was joy in the land, 'Twas obvious to all That he received a call — By some peculiar mode To straighten out the Code. And often has he since Made even Britton wince. In much the usual way — He studied, we've heard say — But while he loved a plant, No place he had for cant. This counsellor by trade A botanist was made Him, when we found a Club, We Secretary — dub, And as he is no shirk We make him do the work.

14 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1901 June 1

I took the 11.30 A.M. train for Concord, leaving M. on the train to go to Lancaster. At Concord I took the electric to W. Bedford and was rowed over the swollen river to the cabin where I met Will and where I stayed till the next afternoon. In spite of the recent bad weather and the cloudy day it did not rain. Will was engaged part of the afternoon with some men but later we walked up to the Barrett Farm and inspected the buildings especially the new farm house in construction. I collected some ♂ {male} flowers of a Quercus prinoides which is about ten feet high. The season of migration is nearly over, but we saw a good many birds which I shall list at the end of my notes on this trip. I saw a Humming Bird on her nest in the big elm by the Barrett House. The nest was about 20 ft. above the ground.

Will showed me a nest and young of a [Nest and 5 young Cottontails] Cottentail Rabbit. The location was in the orchard between the Barrett House and the new Farm House and was about 20 rods from the latter where men were constantly at work hammering and the like. The site was but about 10 rods from the road. The nest was a small hole about the size of the crown of a hat and about 3 or 4 inches deep. The opening was about 4 inches across, a slight excavation having been made under the sod or turf. The hole was deftly plugged up with a handful of dried grass, and though the spot was absolutely exposed to view, there being no tall

15 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1901 June 1 (2)

grass about, yet so closely did the closed hole simulate the surroundings that standing within 2 feet of the spot I looked hard before I could find it. On removing the wad, we discovered five young ones, hair and eyes open. They completely filled the hole, and the then grass wad came in contact with their backs. The hole was lined with fur. On touching the little fellows, they would spring violently up as I have seen young rabbits do in confinement. It was as pretty a sight as I ever saw. We replaced the wad carefully after we had examined the nest long enough. At first the little ones bobbed up so violently as to drive up the wad that covered them, but they soon quieted down and so we left them. Some two weeks ago one of the men while driving a cow out of the orchard discovered the hole which was uncovered. This was the only time the hole was seen uncovered. The young ones at that time were very small with their eyes closed. Once in the day time the old Cottontail was seen to approach the hole and lying beside it to nurse her young. With that exception no old Rabbit has been seen there. She comes of course at night. (Gilbert told me on June 4, three days later, that the day before, June 3, he visited the spot. One of the young ones lay dead by the nest. The other four were gone. It is hoped that the old one took them off safely. What killed the other?)

16 1901 June 1 (3)

We had a pleasant stroll back through the fields An Oven–bird gave us a fine exhibition of his flight song and a Hairy Woodpecker uttered his rattling cry from a neighboring trunk. A Crested Flycather at the Farm called several times and a Marsh Hawk soared over low ground by the river. Veeries were singing abundantly and I saw a number of Black polls that were singing and feeding in the trees.

The long rains have swelled the Concord River to a most astonishing extent. The meadows are at least four feet under water for we measured that depth. The water at this season is ordinarily about three feet below the level of the meadows so we have the water seven feet higher than it generally is at this season. The view is that of a vast inland sea and even in the height of the spring floods rarely does the water exceed the present level. It is within about ten feet of the lower cabin. The Bitterns, Carolina & Virginia Rails, & Marsh Wrens have not been seen this spring. While but a few Redwings and scarcely a Grackle have attempted to build. Will saw a Redwing's nest built near the W. Bedford landing, far from the usual sight, but the rising water covered the nest.

I slept to–night in the upper cabin on the hill side some 30 feet above the water Will took the lower cabin

17 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1901 June 2

This morning though a few rain drops fell the shower held up. After breakfast Will & I rowed on the river for a while. I saw the stone boat house opposite the cabin and the spot where Arnold cut down the trees on Will's land. Near the boat house we heard a Trailli Flycatcher. I was pleased to listen to his simple song which he sang a good many times. I saw skimming over the river to–day and yesterday all the Swallows including the Martin. Landing up the river we strolled over to the Barrett Farm, discussing the plants on the way and visiting spots where ferns and flowering plants have been set out from time to time. The Pink Azalea is well established in a boggy hollow and Asplenium trichomanes grows well in a rocky wooded spot. These were set [?]. We heard the deep drumming of a Partridge in two or three localities and started one bird. The Crested Flycatcher at the Farm gave us a good performance of all his notes and I had a fine long view of a Golden-winged Warbler and heard his lisping song many times. We saw a Maryland Yellow Throat climbing the trunk of a large elm, like a Black & White Creeper. He kept on till he was at least forty feet up among the branches before he swooped to the low bushes where he was evidently [?] more at home.

18 1901 June 2 (2)

Four Red-Shouldered Hawks circled screaming over our heads, at times diving down, and again soaring up on high. A Wood Thrush sang finely in the near wood. I have not heard this bird as much as the Veery, Hermit & Olive back. On the way back to the boat we saw a very fine Blackburnian Warbler and heard him sing many times his song. Will said that the song was unlike any that he had ever heard a Blackburnian sing before, the notes being clearer. Rowing back to the cabin we passed two logs floating by the shore with 27 square-backed Turtles crowded on them.

After dinner we took a walk through the Blakemore woods and back of Balls Hill pass Glacier Hollow. We say a good many LadySlippers (C. acaule [Cypripedium acaule]) and in one spot a five display of Trientalis americanan. A number of Hemlocks set out some years ago, form now a most beautiful grove. A Pine Warbler was singing among the evergreen oines, and while hunting to see the bird, we got a fine sight of a ♀ [female] Bay-breasted Warbler, a late date, and my [♀ [female] D. castanea [Dendroica castanea] on June 2.] first sight of a ♀ [female] of this species.

I left the cabin at 4.10 P.M., was rowed across the river and took the electrics at W. Bedford and returned home in that way reaching the house at about 7.15 P.M. M. appeared from Lancaster about 15 min. later. I had a cold and dusty ride down. I append a list of the birds seen :–

19 Concord, Mass. 1901 June 1–2

Birds observed by me in company with William Brewster on his land between 1 P.M. June 1 and 4 P.M. June 2:–

Actitis macularius 3 or 4 flying over bays in Concord River Colinus virginianus Heard calling in the woods or fields. Bonasa umbellus Flushed one in woods and heard two or three drumming at least a dozen times. Circus hudsonius One soaring over the river marshes Buteo lineatus Saw four soaring above us at the Barrett Farm, diving at intervals and continually screaming They were in company. Coccyzus sp. [species] Barrett Farm. W. Brewster heard at daybreak of June 2 C. erythropthalmus [Coccyzus erythropthalmus] Dryobates villosus Heard the rattling call back of Ball's Hill Dryobates p. medianus [Dryobates pubescens medianus] Saw one. Colaptes a. luteus [Colaptes auratus luteus] Heard [shouting?] several times Chordeiles virginianus One flying near Ball's Hill about 3.30 P.M. on June 2 (Sunday). Chaetura pelagica Abundant. Trochilus colubris One on nest in the big elm at the Barrett Farm, about 25 feet up. Seen June 1 & 2. Tyrannus tyrannus Abundant. Myiarchus crinitus One at the Farm, very noisy giving us all his various notes. Sayornis phoebe One near W. Bedford Station, and one at the Farm. Contopus virens Frequent. Empidonax t. aliiorum [Empidonax traillii aliiorum] Heard one in woods across the river opp. the cabin. We rowed over and were quite near him but did not see him. His song was a modified Phoebe's.

20 Concord, Mass. 1901 June 1–2 (2)

Empidonax minimus Heard at the Farm. Cyanocitta cristata Abundant. Seen & heard. Corvus americanus Abundant. Dolichonyx oryzivorus Abundant in grassy tracts. Molothrus ater One at the Farm. Agelaius phoeniceus A few by the river. The remarkable rise in the river has driven them away. Icterus galbula Abundant. Quiscalus q. aeneus [Quiscalus quiscula aeneus] Three or four only. Carpodacus purpureus One singing at the Farm. Spizella socialis Several Spizella pusilla Heard at the Farm, and near Benson's, where we stood close to one as he sang. Melospiza fasciata Several heard. Pipilo erythrophthalamus Heard at the Farm. Zamelodia ludoviciana Heard by the cabin Piranga erythromelas Saw a pair and heard several. Progne subis One over the river. Petrochelidon lunifrons Abundant over the river. Hirundo erythrogastra Numerus. Tachycineta bicolor Several Clivicola riparia Several Ampelis cedrorum A few. Vireo olivaceus Numerous. Vireo flavifrons Numerous. Helminthophobia chrysoptera Heard and saw one in the meadow opp. the Barrett House. W.B. saw & heard him giving his flight song. Helminthophila rubricapilla Heard a few. Dendroica pensylvanica Abundant. Dendroica striata Numerous [in full song]