Raw, thick, misty weather: the honking of geese.

March 14.

A. M. — Threatening rain after clear morning. Great concert of song sparrows in willows and alders along Swamp Bridge Brook by river. Hardly hear a distinct strain.

Alder scales are visibly loosened, their lower edges (i. e. as they hang) showing a line of yellowish or greenish.

P. M. — To Great Meadows. Raw thickening mists, as if preceding rain. Count over forty robins with my glass in the meadow north of Sleepy Hollow, in the grass and on the snow.

From within the house at 5.30 p. m. I hear the loud honking of geese, throw up the window, and see a large flock in disordered harrow flying more directly north or even northwest than usual. Raw, thick, misty weather.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, March 14, 1854

Great concert of song sparrows by river. Hardly hear a distinct strain. See March 11, 1854 ("On Tuesday, the 7th, I heard the first song sparrow chirp, and saw it flit silently from alder to alder. This pleasant morning after three days' rain and mist, they generally forthburst into sprayey song from the low trees along the river. The developing of their song is gradual but sure, like the expanding of a flower. This is the first song I have heard."); See March 18, 1852 ("I hear the song sparrow's simple strain, most genuine herald of the spring.”)

I hear the loud honking of geese . . .. Raw, thick, misty weather. See March 10, 1854 ("We always have much of this rainy, drizzling, misty weather in early spring, after which we expect to hear geese.")