Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-04-23
WAYsO OF FISHHAWKS
A AsTunY m NATURAL HISTORY ALONG
THE JERSEY COAST.

People who visit the northern coast
counties Of New Jersey in summer are
struck with the curious, bulky nests Of
the dshhawlss, which are so common in
that locality. These nests are about 3
feet across and about 9 feet deep and are
nothing more or less than a big heap Of
brush or dead branches The hawks are
protected in these counties by the i'm
preston that they bring good luck, so
that no one would think Of even so
much as throwing a stone at one Of the
big birds, much less shoot at one.
There is no sign Of spring 80 satisfac-
tory to farmers along the coast as the
coming Of the fishhawls. The coming
and going of these birds are peculiar.
You get up some morning in April, and
they are here. After their young are
Matched and grown up it is October and
you get up some morning aud find them
gone The same birds come back year
after year, and they occupy the same
nest which always needs bit Of re-
building and occupies the birds for a
few weeks.
1t is generally believed that there is
a law protecting flshhawks, but it is a
mistake. There is an unwritten law,
and a well obeyed one, of custom. A
boy IS told that he must not disturb the
birds, and he does not. The good treat
ment that the hawks have received has
made them SO tame that their nests are
built in dooryards and by the roadsides,
and the naturally timid birds have no
fear Of mankind The fishhawk is found
along many Of the inland waters of the
state, but it is impossible to get near
them, and it is q rare thing to find a
nest. They are tho shyest of birds in
these places.
Years ago the fisher folk along the
coast used to think that if o fishhawk
built its nest ON ones land it was an
omen Of good luck, and that success
would certainly follow him in whatever
pursuit he should undertake, and al
though there is less of such feeling now
those who own property ON which the
hawks build welcome them in the spring
as old acquaintances and look anxiously
for their coming as soon as the winter
breaks
Fishhawks got their entire food sup
ply from the water. Their eyes are so
constructed that even at great heights
they can see fish that swim near the sur
face, and then dive with lightning speed
The fish is caught in the claws and is
taken to the nest of the bird before be-
ing eaten. The writer has seen a hawk
make mistake and catch hard crab,
and when the crab got both his big
claws fairly at work ON the tender part
of the birds legs there was somewhat
of shaking and diving in the air to get
rid of the crab, but it is not often they
get fooled. 1t is generally all in their
favor. A hawk will fly away with a big
eel wriggling in its claws that man
could not hold 80 seconds with both
hands The hawks sometimes, however,
will dive at things they do not want,
and a thing occurred a few years ago
which is worth telling
A steamer was passing Seabright. It
was q big coaster from Savannah to
New York, and lady on board lost
overheard handsome and valuable lace
shawl, which fioated away after strik-
ing the water. The passengers, being
interested, watched the shawl as far as
they could see it, and finally saw fish
hawk dive at it, get it fast in his claws
and Fly inland with it, The lady was
very much put out at losing the article
and advertised a reward for the same.
A lineman took q notion no could get
the shawl after hearing the circum-
stances, and with his spurs he started &c
pay visit to every fishhawl's nest in
the county Immediately back of Sea
bright. The shawl was found hanging
ON the side of nest ON the Lewis White
farm. near Little Silver What the
hawk wanted with the shawl is hard to
tell, for hawks use no such thing in
building their nests.
The top of a iishhnwk's nest is as
rough as the sides, and without any de-
preston. The eggs would roll of but
that the top Of the nest is too rough for
them to move. The tameness Of the
hawks has in many cases made them a
nuisance. They build ON telephone
poles, ON chimneys and cupOlas of houses,
and it is sometimes necessary to con-
struot cupolas 80 they cannot get any
landing place, for the hawks do not
mind in che least having their nests torn
up. They build again right away.
A story is told of a pair Of hawks
that built nest one year in a small
apple tree ON the Hance property, on
Rumson neck. The nest was built on a
part Of the tree which could not stand
the weight, and it broke down. The
hawks built in another part, and high
wind came and entirely uprooted the
tree. The birds then, for tho third time,
built their nest IN the hole where the
tree had been, and when they had
Matched out their young a weasel killed
them all, and they had to give up rails.
ing q family that season.
1t is enormously stated that the treel
in which fishhawks build die soon aft
onward The truth is tlae trees more
often improve. The hawks select an ole
soraggy tree, and, being about dead, Il
does dio, but ofteiier the trees i'm
prove from the fertilization given BY
the particles of iish dropped by th'
hawks about the trees. Within a radiul
of five miles from Long Branch inlant
there are no loss than 300 Of those grea
scraggy. awkward nests, but they form
part Of the pioturesqueness Of thl
scenery and are part Of its makeup =
Philadelphia lmes.
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