86 



THE OOLOGIST 



which there is a large stream about 

 nine miles long. This stream has sev- 

 eral large branches and a number of 

 smaller ones. There is no main road 

 and but few old log roads. This region 

 is all woods which includes a large 

 amount of virgin timber, mostly hem- 

 lock, but with many tracts of beech 

 and considerable other hardwoods. 



We made a trip over there on Wash- 

 ington's birthday; took a large circle 

 through the country and secured a 

 number of photos of winter scenes in 

 the woods. We found great numbers 

 of trails of the varying hare or snow- 

 shoe rabbit and spent some time trail- 

 ing them. Although we started sev- 

 eral of the big white fellows we 

 couldn't snap them on the jump and 

 failed to spy one sitting where we 

 could get a good photo. 



Off the main stream on a little 

 spring run we fixed up a little camp 

 where we could stop and cook our din- 

 ners on future trips. In an out of the 

 way basin at the head of a small run 

 where the big timber stood thick and 

 heavy we heard a Goshawk calling. 

 This was the only sign of a Hawk on 

 this trip. 



Along in March we were over again 

 and this time we went at once to this 

 basin which we searched. We soon 

 heard Mrs. Goshawk and were not long 

 in finding the nest in a big hemlock. 

 On April 5th the old lady was at home 

 and sitting on a fine set of four eggs. 



This nest was 60 feet up in a large 

 hemlock and was more like a big plat- 

 form than a nest. The female was 

 very noisy and ugly but the male did 

 not appear at all on this trip. On May 

 9th we again paid them a visit and 

 found four husky white youngsters. 

 This time both old birds were on the 

 job and were very noisy and daring, 

 the female being the bolder of the 

 two, sometimes swooping within three 

 feet of our heads while we were at 

 the nest getting the photo. 



One day while trouting fish we lo- 

 cated a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks 

 and on our next trip hunted up the 

 nest. On May 17th we photographed 

 this outfit. This nesi was '60 reet up a 

 hemlock and held four eggs. 



During these trips we found several 

 Cooper's Hawks' nests in beech trees. 

 One of these which held five eggs was 

 a good one to get at and we got sev- 

 eral good photos. This cleaned up the 

 Accipiter family in good shape. Red- 

 shouldered Hawks were about but we 

 did not look for them as we have 

 photos. We flushed one from a nest 

 in a beech but as there was no chance 

 for a good picture we did not go up. 



Red-tails were also about but we did 

 not happen to come across a nest so 

 left them for next season. 



One Broad-wing's nest was found 

 and photoed. Near home we found a 

 Sparrow Hawk at home in an old 

 Flicker's nest in a large stub, but we 

 passed it up as the stub was very rot- 

 ten and the nest up about 40 feet. 



Both the Barred and Horned Owls 

 were seen on tliese trips but no nests 

 found. There is so much woods and 

 so many hollow trees that finding an 

 owl's nest in that region is some job. 



Working of the Pileated Wood- 

 pecker were to be seen everywhere 

 and the birds were seen and heard on 

 every trip. 



Among the mammals red squirrels 

 were abundant, also a good many 

 black and gray squirrels. Porcupines 

 were common and there were many 

 trails and signs of coon, fox and mink, 

 with frequently deer and bear. We 

 had much trouble getting several of 

 our photos because of the lack of suit- 

 able limbs to fasten our camera onto 

 at the nest. We wanted time ex- 

 posures as snap shots are too un- 

 certain among the hemlocks because 

 of shadows. Although we had con- 

 siderable trouble we thoroughly en- 

 joyed our trips after the Hawks. 



R. B. Simpson, Warren, Pa. 



