Bethel, Maine.
1903
June 8
(No 5)
felted with a variety of soft materials. There were fewer
feathers than usual in the lining but such as these were
looked fresh & clean as did the entire surface of the
inner cup at the bottom of which lay a handsomely
marked egg. Although I took his out & looked at it
critically I was unable to decide whether it was addled
or freshly-laid. I am inclined to think however, that it
may be the first egg of a second clutch for on June 5th, I saw the
female Shrike pull a tuft of sheep's wool from a barrel
and take it off in the direction of the east and while
I was descending the tree this morning she came flying 
swiftly towards it and hovered within a few feet of 
my head uttering her harsh, grating cry. This I thought
could be best compared to the long-drawn plaint of
a Canada Nuthatch save for the fact that the notes were
deeper, harsher, louder and given in much more rapid
succession. When I heard it in the open field earlier
in the morning it also reminded me a little of the
mew of a Catbird.
Migrant Shrike
  While I was watching the Shrikes I heard two Bobolinks
and a Savanna Sparrow singing in the grass not
far from their posts of observation & on several occasions
Bank Swallows skimmed close past over or the 
other of them. They seemed to take no notice whatever
of those birds but to be wholly intent on watching
the ground for insects.