THE FINDING OF THE HAWKS' EYRIE 



163 



to vake a picture at a distance of three feet. While 

 we were still a good distance from the nesting tree, the 

 female left the nest and soared off without the least sign 



of a care. My 

 friend was very 

 eager to climb 



GROWING LARGER AND MORE 

 INDEPENDENT 



Here they are seventeen days later, very much 

 interested in everything that is going on. 



first and I did not make many objec- 

 tions as I did not trust the spurs 

 wholly, and I also feared an attack 

 from the parent birds. We both had 

 wnie box cameras and these prov- 

 ed to be a hindrance in climbing. We 

 either had to carry them on our belt 

 or take hold of the handle with our 

 teeth. My companion climbed slow- 

 ly and I agreed to warn him if I saw 

 the parent birds returning. He held 

 tight with both arms the trunk of the 

 tree. Xow and then he would stop 

 for a rest and make such remarks as, 

 "Gee, this is great! I wonder if these spurs are going 

 to hold? They pinch my feet something fierce. Where's 

 the old birds? Don't forget to tell me if you see them 

 coming this way." 



At last he reached the nest and informed me that there 

 were three eggs in the nest as large as hen's eggs. He 

 took a couple of pictures and then started down. The 

 downward journey proved as difficult as the upward. 



It was now my turn and before many minutes, I was 

 on my way. It seemed ages before I reached the top and 

 when I looked down I realized that a fall would be 

 disastrous. I therefore held on with one hand while 

 I took the pictures and then hastened down, partly 

 [ thought it safer on the ground and partly be- 

 cause the hawk had been kept off her nest for half 

 an hour. 



( )ur next journey to the nest was a week later. My 

 friend climbed and announced that the eggs were not 

 liatched but that the shells each had a small hole 

 pecked in them. This was a great surprise because the 

 peeping-, of the young ones could be heard at the base 

 of the tree and we fully expected to find young ones 



in the nest. I also climbed but neither of us took any 

 pictures. 



Four days later, another ascension was made and 

 two downy white baby hawks, about the size of baby 

 chickens, greeted us. Between them was an unhatched 

 egg but this was not disturbed as we thought it might 

 hatch in a day or so. These lit- 

 tle fellows had the honor of 

 having their picture taken when 

 they were only four days old. 

 They had never seen anything 

 like us before and seemed much 

 amused. We were welcomed to 

 their home of sticks mixed with 

 feathers and lice. They showed 

 us that they had nothing to offer 

 us to eat but they said that their 

 father and mother were off get- 

 ting something to eat and would 

 like us to wait until they came. 

 But we did not stay long, and, 

 as we left, they came to the edge 

 and, sticking out their little 

 fuzzy heads, watched us climb 

 down. 



Our nest visit was about two 

 weeks later when we found them 

 no longer little white fuzzy birds 

 with an interest in human be- 

 ings. They were now about 

 twice the size of baby chicks, 

 dirty and the possessors of a few 

 quills. One was distinctly larger 

 and stronger than the other and 

 both showed great fear of us. 

 Now and then they uttered a 

 cry as they closely watched every 

 move we made. A hand extend- 

 ed toward them only drove them to the outermost stick 

 of the nest and if our hands came too close, they would 



A HIGH AND DIFFICULT CLIMB 



It iirnv< 'I well worth the effort, however, when 

 we finally reached the nest of the Red Shouldered 

 Hawk sixty feet above the ground. 



THE BABY HAWKS AT TWENTY DAYS OLD 



Still of an investigative turn of mind and growing more inquisitive 

 each day as they grow stronger. 



