1906
July 15
(No 2)
  As I was strolling through the pines behind
Ball's Hill just after dinner I heard a Chickadee making
the low, feeble zee-e-e-e peculiar to this season. The bird,
an adult in shockingly worn and faded plumage, presently
appeared and I stopped to watch it. It approached by
short flights and hops until it roosted a twig within
less than two feet of my face. Here balancing itself on
the slender, swaying spray it remained for a moment or
more uttering its peevish cries incessantly. At length I
advanced my hand very slowly until my forefinger was
within an inch of the birds head when it suddenly
took alarm & dashed off through the woods.
  At evening as I was returning to Ball's Hill through
Pine Park I heard Blue Jays screaming near at hand.
On going to the spot I found that there were at least
a dozen of them assembled among the branches of a
dense young pine where they were evidently intending to
pass the night. Suddenly one of them was seized and
bourne off through the tree tops by I know not what but
probably by a Hawk. The unfortunate bird gave one loud
long scream and then a long succession of agonised cries
growing gradually fainter & ferventer. The marauder, whatever
he was, was closely pursued by the whole flock of Jays
whose combined clamor was almost deafening. The pursuit
stopped in the wooded swamp behind the wood shed.
After some five minutes the Jays began returning, one at
a time. Suddenly they all began screaming again &
assembling in a large oak. In its top I soon discovered
a Crow hopping from branch to branch hotly assailed by the
Jays who dashed at him fearlessly & pecked him about the
head. I had a good view of him & am sure he had had nothing
in either bill or claws. I do not think he had had anything
to do with the capture of the Jay.