Jan., 1914 
XOTRS ON NESTING OF THE SIIARP-SHINNEU HAWK 
19 
to the nest and kept up a constant call : the male followed close to where T was 
standing and swooped at my head; shortly afterwards the female made a swoop 
direct from the nest and just grazed my head. I moved out of the thicket and 
both birds followed, perching eight or ten feet from me. uttering their shrill cries, 
and darting at niy head at short intervals. I finally started back down hill and 
stopping fifty yards or more from the thicket looked uji just in time to see the male 
hawk coming straight for me. I waved my hat and he circled and made for a tall 
tree near the nest, seeming satisfied that he had finally driven me awa)'. 
July lo I visited the nest late in the afternoon. It had been raining all day and 
had just cleared up for a short respite. On reaching the nest I found the young 
ones had gained considerably in size : the sheathed feathers at the wing ti])s were 
about one-half inch long ; their general appearance in color varied from pinkish 
Fig. lo. Near View of Two of The Young Sharp-shinned Hawks: ages 9 and in 
days; Photographed July 12 
white to a dull yellow ; the birds were able to hold their heads high and showed 
signs, of resentment when I stroked them. There were no signs of food, and the 
old birds were not as ferocious as usual. 
July 12 I reached the nesting ground about lO M. 1 stopped about 150 
yards from the thicket and was looking for signs of tlie old birds when I noticed 
the male hawk coming my way straight for my head. He sailed within a few feet 
of me, circled, and lit in a tall tree nearby. Reaching the nest tree I arranged the 
camera outfit in a sack and ascended to the nest. From the time I started climb- 
ing until I had made three exposures of the young in the nest, the female hawk 
struck at me thirty-nine times. Her wdngs often .struck against my shoulders. 
The male struck three times, one good rap on my back with his wings. 1 had to 
keep my head as close to the tree trunk as possible to avoid claws. 
