1888
(April 5)
Concord, Massachusetts.
(Continued)
the usual v form. There were also several Gulls
(L. argentatus) scaling about over the river one alighting
for a moment. In the distance on the further (east)
side of the meadow a Red-tailed Hawk was circling
over a cluster of tall white pines. We resolved to
examine these pines for a nest & started across. The
sky had clouded over, the wind was rising fast &
the day from a bright sunny one had changed to
a gloomy threatening one.
[margin]Larus argentatus[/margin]
  As we approached the pines, passing through some
belts of brush and crossing a circular bit of
flooded meadow we met two boats coming out.
Both parties had seen numerous Ducks among
the brush but neither had shot any. One of
the men told us of a flooded meadow beyond
the pines and we pushed our way into this
through the intervening belt of maples & birches
finding a pretty little oblong pond sheltered
on every side by dense woods.
  Returning Spelman shot at a Fox Sparrow near
the tall pines when immediately a pair of 
Red-tailed Hawks started out among them &
began flying around us uttering a peculiar
gasping cry & frequently alighting on the topmost
slender twigs of the pines. It was evident that
they had a nest so landing we made a close
search for it. We found no less than four
large nests, three in the pines and one in an oak.
Under one was the tail of a Blue Jay. We
did not climb to any of them thinking
it too early for eggs although the birds made
a great fuss all the time we were in the
[margin]Buteo borealis[/margin]