1903
May 11
(No 2)
height both of them show (or rather seem to do so) pure white
rumps. I suppose this effect is produced by the undertail coverts
working up over the side of the tail.
  I searched the woods near the nest most carefully to-day
but the only remains of the Hawks victims that I 
could find were a quantity of feathers from the breast of
a Partridge & wing & tail of a Blue Jay. The 
ground under some of the trees was thickly marked
with the Hawk's chalky white excrement but there were
none of these signs under or near the nest.
  The only birds that I have seen or heard of late
in the woods have been one or two Black-throated Green
Warblers & Black & White Creepers & a Solitary Vireo.
While I was watching the nest this forenoon a pair of
Solitary Vireos approached it closely (within a yard or less)
& seemed to be inspecting it (?). A Blue Jay
flew over it and a Gray Squirrel spent a long time
digging out buried ants or acorns from the (?) at
the base of the tree. After he had finished this occupation
he ran to a stone wall & flattening himself on the
top lay a long time perfectly motionless. I wonder
what the Hawks would have done had they been there
at the time. I think they have driven all the
Partridges out of these woods. Lawrence tells me that
they have taken two small chickens from his yard
& eight rather large ones from that of his brother Abbott.