April 17, 1944 - continued from previous page: Western Crow Nest # 1 in Willow at 8 feet. 2 eggs - greenish with abundance of brownish dots and blotches. 1 1/4" x 1 1/2"-13/4" Nest had bark fiber lining and sheeps wool in the bottom. Nest 4" deep and 8" across. Contained a yellow beetle, which is of the genus Calligrapha, according to H. A. Scullen, Oregon State, 4-21-44. He said they usually fed on willows. Western Crow Nest # 2 in willow at 6 feet. 4 eggs - Nest had bark fiber lining. 4" deep and 9" across. Contained a yellow beetle,Calligrapha) April 21, 1944 - Mtn. Home Area II, south of town. Pheasant Brewer Blkbd White-crowned Sp. Robin Magpies W. Crow House Finch Rub-crown Kinglet Killdeer Mallard Redwing Eng. Sparrow W. Meadowlark F Goldfinch of Green-backed Goldfinch Marsh Hawks. On April 17, we first found this Marsh Hawk nest, led to it by the male of the species, observed carrying nesting material to it. The nest is in a clump of old "reed or jointed" stemmed weed or grass. It is about 25 feet from a seldom-used farm lane and is about 150 feet from a gravel country road. When the hawk lands at the nest, it does so in plain view of the surrounding area. This site is located in an old abandoned pasture containing clumpbs of briar and the former described grass. Nearest water is over 1/4 mile away, and it is a nearly stagnant ditch, about two feet wide. The hawks broke down and crushed the center of this clump for a nest site. The nest itself is about 10 inches in diameter and from 1/2" to one inch deep. Construction is sloppy or haphazard and consists of dried stems of weeds and grass. April 22, 1944 - Mtn Home Reservoir north of town. 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Scattered cumulus. 8 mph breeze. NW or Wh-rupd Shrike Killdeer W. Meadowlark W. Red-tail Hawk Mallard W. Crow Nevada Redwing Marsh Hawks Baldpates House Finch Raven W. Vesper Sparrow(very pale) Robin Engl. Sparrow Brewer Blkbd. Many common or Pale Goldfinches seen today. Males were beautiful. M & F came close to my call notes. The birds seem much smaller and slimmer than those of W. Oregon. Black-billed Magpies and nests. Nest 1: 6 eggs Nest A: 6 eggs Nest C: 7 eggs Nest 2: 8 eggs Nest B: 0 (lined with Nest D: 2 eggs (horsehair lined) fine rootlets) Nest E: 5 eggs: Nest F: New - 2 1/2 feet high, not lined yet, but has fresh mud in it. | Nest | Apr. 7 | Apr. 12 | Apr. 17 | Apr. 22 | Apr. 27. | May 2, | May 7 | May 12 | May17 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 eggs 4 new young | 6 yng. | 6 yng. | 6 yng. | 608R1 | | 2 | 3 | 8 c | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 yng | 8 yng | 8 yng | 8 yng | | 3A | Building | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 new yng | 6 yng | 6 yng | | B | Building | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | C | Building | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 eggs 3 young | 7 yng | 7 yng | 7 yng | | D | Building | Comp. | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ?1 yng? ?2 egg??1 yng.?2 egg | | E | Old | old | remod eled3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 yng 1 egg | 4 yng 1 egg | | F | --- | --- | --- | Building new comp. | 1 | 0 ?? | 3 | 7 | Total eggs: 7 22 29 34 36 37 36 38 42 It looks to me as if the pair in Nest D are building nest F & plan to move there as the pair in nest B moved to Nest E. It so happens Nests B & D are in exposed open sites. Could be young birds learning their 1st nest-building lessons. I'll bet ! 4-22-44 FGE JR.