124 THE NIDOLOGIST 
A Hawk Diary. 
(1894. ) 
PRIL 21.—While out hunting,I passed 
by a nest in an oak tree, where I had 
taken a set of two finely marked eggs 
of the Red-tailed Hawk (Bzteo borealis) on 
April 29, 18g3. Climbing up to the nest, I 
found it looked as if it had been re-lined, 
but contained no eggs. 
April 28.—Saw a pair of Broad-winged 
Hawks (Buteo latissimus) around a small 
grove. They were much less wary than 
most other Hawks (which is characteristic 
of the species), and more than once I ap- 
proached within easy gunshot of one. 
When scared up, one would only fly a short 
distance and light in another tree. They 
probably nested around there a little later 
in the season, there being a number of old 
nests visible. 
May 5.—When I came near my old 
Hawk’s nest of April 21, I was not sur- 
prised to see a large Red-tail fly from the 
nest. She was soon joined by her mate, 
and they sailed around overhead uttering 
loud discordant sounds, something like 
scree é €, Scree-e-e, The nest was torty feet 
from the ground and contained three beau- 
tiful, fresh eggs. The eggs were very 
differently marked, one being very faintly 
spotted with pale lavendar and very light 
brown; another was thickly marked over 
the entire surface with light brown, blurred- 
looking spots, the markings being thicker 
towards the smaller end and almost form- 
ing a wreath. The third egg had many 
large, bright brown blotches, chiefly on the 
larger end, the spots being very clear and 
well defined, looking like little dabs of 
paint put on with a brush. They measured 
DP] F8 Noy DAD. Te Unay)y Qoope a6 Wasi Nous 
was the only set of Red-tail’s eggs which I 
found that season. ‘Two other places where 
I found the Hawks building, nests were 
deserted, the birds evidently disliking to 
have their housekeeping affairs intruded 
upon. 
The same day I saw a Swainson’s Hawk 
(Buteo swainsonz) sitting near a large nest 
in an oak tree about fifty feet from the 
ground. ‘The nest was an old one which I 
had noticed the preceding winter, and con- 
tained several cottonwood or poplar twigs, 
with small fresh green leaves on them, 
looking as if they had been picked today. 
When I came down the Hawk was sitting 
in another tree not far away, and allowed 
me to come quite near before taking alarm. 
May 6.—While walking along a country 
road I saw a pair of Marsh Hawks soaring 
low down over a patch of hazel bushes and 
tall weeds near a slongh, so I proceeded to 
investigate. When I came near, the 
Hawks began to get alarmed, the male 
bird being especially demonstrative. He 
would start a short distance away,and seem 
to be flying straight at my head, but would 
turn aside when about ten feet from me. 
Gn looking the ground over thoroughly, I 
found the nest, flat on the ground in the 
center of the weeds, It contained only a. 
single pale blue egg, with a few small spots 
onit, so I left it for future reference. 
May 12.—Saw a Swainson’s Hawk sit- 
ting in a tree near an old nest that had been 
unoccupied last year. I started to try and 
get a shot at it, but just as I was coming up 
Isaw another Hawk approaching, carrying 
in his bill a stick about a foot long. He lit 
right in the middle of the nest with it, but 
soon espied me, flew off the nest, circled 
around once or twice,and then lit beside the 
nest. He remained until I had climbed 
halfway up to the nest, which was in a large 
oak. Both Hawks then flew around 
screaming, sometimes swooping down close 
to my head. I visited the nest again later 
in the month, but it seemed to be deserted. 
A little further on, in the same grove, a 
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi) dashed 
off her nest and away through the woods, 
screaming. She soon lit in a tree near by, 
and dropped at the report of the double- 
barrel. The nest was in a burr-oak, about 
twenty-five feet from the ground. It was 
about 18 inches across, built ofsmall sticks, 
and unlined, being in the near vicinity, if 
not the actual nest, from which I took a set 
of two eggs last year,on May 6. ‘The nest 
contained five fresh eggs, pale bluish in 
color, two being unmarked, the others spar- 
ingly flecked with light brown. They aver- 
age 1.81 x 1.45 in Size. 
May 13.—Visited the Marsh Hawk’s 
nest found May 6, but found it abandoned, 
and the egg nearly covered up with weeds. 
Some boys told me of another Marsh 
Hawk’s nest which they had found in the 
center of a slough the previous week, con- 
taining five whitish-colored eggs. Different 
parties who saw the nest said it was built 
well up from the water, which was quite 
shallow. Some young Hawks were subse- 
quently taken from this nest. 
May 16.—Started early in the morning to 
