Cambridge, Mass.
1911.
Feb. 12
[February 12, 1911]

  Cloudy & chilly with flurries of snow. The ground
is now covered with snow to a depth of about eight
inches. It was bare through the most of January.

Sparrow Hawks

  As I was walking past the Chauncey Smith
place on Brattle Street at 10.30 A.M. I saw an erect
[female] Sparrow Hawk perched on the highest pinnacle of
the dead top of the large white pine just to the right
of the house. A minute or two later this bird descended
by a short spiral flight to a long, horizontal, living
branch in the same tree and alighted within a
few yards of its mate which I had not before
noticed. Both birds remained motionless in crouching
attitudes for the three or four minutes more which I was
able to devote to watching them. The difference in size
between the sexes was very marked in this pair the [male]
appearing no larger than a Robin, the [female] almost as big as a
Pigeon. Gilbert saw what was probably the same pair, in 
the same tree, on January 28, mistaking them for Shrikes.
I wonder what they can find to eat at this season!