Insects have just begun to be troublesome.

May 13.

May 13, 2024

The portion of the peach trees in bloom in our garden shows the height of the snow-drifts in the winter. 

The bass suddenly expanding its little round leaves.

Uvularias, amid the dry tree-tops near the azaleas. 

The great red maples begin to leaf. 

As for the birds, I have not for some time noticed crows in flocks. The voices of the early spring birds are silenced or drowned in multitude of sounds. The black ducks are probably all gone. Are the rusty grackles still here? Birds generally are now building and sitting. Methinks I heard one snipe night before last? I have not noticed the pine warbler nor the myrtle-bird for a fortnight. The chip-sparrow is lively in the morning. I suspect the purple finches are all gone within a few days. The black and white creeper is musical nowadays, and thrushes and the catbird, etc., etc.  Goldfinch heard pretty often. 

Insects have just begun to be troublesome.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, May 13, 1854

Peach trees in bloom in our garden. See May 14, 1855 (“Our peaches begin to bloom; others probably earlier.”)

The bass suddenly expanding its little round leaves. See May 13, 1855 (“The large bass trees now begin to leaf. ”)

Uvularias . . . near the azaleas See May 13, 1858 ("Uvularia sessilifolia is well out in Island woods, opposite Bath Rock; how long?"); May 13, 1860 (" At Holden Swamp . . .Uvularia sessilifolia abundant, how long?") See also A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Bellworts

As for birds. See May 28, 1854 ("The F. hyemalis  fox-colored sparrow, rusty grackles, tree sparrows, have all gone by; also the purple finch. The snipe has ceased (?) to boom.")