Nest building habits of Circus cyaneus var. Hudsonius
1875. Middlesex Co., Mass.  [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
May 24. [May 24, 1875]  adjoining tree. From the spread of
the encircling platform of sticks I
think however [delete]she[/delete] he could not
see me when underneath but it was
very still & he must have heard 
the crackling of the dry twigs etc.
I shall get at the nest to morrow in
some way or other, if possible. Taking
a look into the meadow where I
saw the marsh hawks last week what
was my delight at finding the
birds both there and engaged in 
building their nest. The [female] sat on
a stake while the [male] collected dry
grass and carried it to a certain
spot among some low shrubs where
he dropped and after remaining
about 30 seconds started off again.
Frequently he would go no more
than 30 feet or so for this purpose and
never over 100 yds [yards]. The [female] only
went to the nest once during a [an]
hour or more that I spent watching 
them. They kept up an almost incessant
calling to one another, a shrill squealing
que, que, que very different from any
note I ever heard them utter before.
Whether or not the [male] used his bill or feet in
collecting & transporting the grass I
could not decide, as I did not dare
to approach too close, but I think 
that feet were the members employed.
Finally the [male] soared up into the
sky and disappeared when I
approached within 20 yds. [yards] of the nest.