Vol. XV1 SOME NOTES ON THE NESTING OF THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK By HENRY J. RUST WITH EIGHT PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR Y OPPORTUNITY for observing the nesting of the Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter velox) began on the xsth of June, x9x 3. I was passing by a dense stand of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxirolla) on the south slope of Tubb's hill*, a.bout half way between the summit and the base, when an unusual disturbance was heard among the members of a small flock of mountain chickadees. I surmised that a hawk w'as causing the trouble and on drawing closer a male Sharp-shinned Hawk flew out of the thicket and lit on a fir tree nearby. My presence was noted immediately, perhaps before the bird left the thicket, and brought forth a continuous "cha, cha, cha, cha". I realized at once that I was considered an intruder and had been warned to leave; however, I could not resist the temptation to look for a nesting site, and on entering the thicket I soon discovered the nest, and the secret was out. A light rap on the trunk of the tree and the mother bird left the nest; with a slight motion of the wings she reached a large'fir tree about 25 yards distant and perched on a limb where the nest could be observed. The-nest was situated well up in a small-sized Douglas fir. Owing to the density of the stand the lower limbs were very small and brittle. Laying aside hat and coat I made ready for a visit to the home. After no little effort I reached the brim of the nest and felt well repaid by even one gaze at the five beautiful eggs lying in the slight hollow of the nest. T_he nest was composed' entirely of small dry fir twigs and was situated 34 feet from the ground, on the south side of the tree, and measured 32 inches in length, I7 inches in width, and 8 inches in greatest depth. It was saddled on three limbs averaging three-fourths of an inch in diameter, two of them 8 inches apart a.t _the outer edge of the nest and the other space I6 inches. The nest was a little thicker at the trunk of the tree. This, with the upward angie of the three limbs, gave a fairly good bearing for holding the nest secure during the swaying of the trees as a result of hard wind and rain storms so common in this locality. The diameter of the tree at the nest was 5 inches, and at the base, breast high, 9 inches. As the tree began to reach the light towards its top the limbs were more numerous and the foliage much denser, so that a few feet above the nest they formed a heavy shade. The eggs were lying in a slight depression in about the center of the nest. There was no lining of any kind, except one wing feather of an old bird near the eggs, which had probably been los.t during nest-building. The ground-color of the .eggs was a light greenish, with heavy irregular markings of rich brown. Size of eggs: 1.5oxL37, x.5oxI.36, x.5oxI.3 I, 1.48xx.32, I'48xI'25' The mother bird showed her disapproval of my presence by a constant "cha, cha, cha," much shriller than the note of the male, and by darting back and forth, striking close enough to raise my hair with the rush of her wings. The male bird kept up similar but less shrill cries, but did not strike at me though he kept passing back and forth near the nest. In hopes of taking a series of photographs of the. nest, eggs and young, I left the nesting site with the intention of returning
- A small hill bordering on the shore of Lake Coeur d' Alene and forming part of the township of Coeur
d' Alene, Idaho.
