. Camps and cruises of an ornithologist, by Frank M. Chapman .. . The Nest on the Yoke-house from which the bird might he photographed on its home. Afamera was therefore erected some forty feet away, and arubber tubing, attaelied to a shutter, led to my hiding placein the basement of the Fish Hawks dwelling. It requiredclose attention to detect the sound of the birds foot-fall onthe floor above, but when assured of its return, I could standboldly in the doorway and, with the aid of a bicycle pump,make an exposure at my leisure. GARDINERS ISLAND 51 The yoke-house has now succumbed to the weight
. Camps and cruises of an ornithologist, by Frank M. Chapman .. . The Nest on the Yoke-house from which the bird might he photographed on its home. Afamera was therefore erected some forty feet away, and arubber tubing, attaelied to a shutter, led to my hiding placein the basement of the Fish Hawks dwelling. It requiredclose attention to detect the sound of the birds foot-fall onthe floor above, but when assured of its return, I could standboldly in the doorway and, with the aid of a bicycle pump,make an exposure at my leisure. GARDINERS ISLAND 51 The yoke-house has now succumbed to the weight ofyears and nest, but a new Fish Hawk home which has beenerected in the nearest tree, is doubtless occupied by theyoke-house birds. If this supposition be true, they evidentlydid not resort to a roof liecause they lacked the al)ility tobuild in A new nest on the ruins of the old one That the normal nesting-site of Fish Hawks is arboreal,is evidenced by the fact that fully ninety-five per cent, of theGardiners Island birds resort to trees ; but even with thisrestriction there is wide variation in the situation birds nest in the heart of the forest, in the great oaks;others at its border, in the sour gums ; many choose thewild cherry trees, while a number have astonishing successin saddling their Imlky platforms on the small red cedars,where they dwarf the tree into a mere supporting post. 52 TWO ATLANTIC COAST ISLANDS The attachment of Fish Hawks for their home has oftenbeen commented on and there are many ilhistrations of it onGardiners Island. The nests bnilt in cedars, in time breakthe tree, wlien the birds bnild a new nest on tbe rnins of theold one. In one instance, a tall tree, standing- alone in a field, had held a Fish Hawks nestfor as many years as oneconld rememl)er. Dnring astorm it fell and the nest
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirdsnorthamerica
