40 



Bird - Lore 



also, many Warblers were noted passing 

 through. The Pileolated, the Yellow, the 

 Lutescent, the Black-throated Gray, and 

 the Townsend, were recorded. Another 

 flight was noted on the 27th and 28th in 

 which Black-throated Grays predominated. 

 October 21a Water Ouzel was seen in the 

 Arroyo Seco. Thurber's Junco was first 

 reported October 27. The 28th, Parkman 

 Wrens were reported passing through, and 

 the first Robins, Western Bluebirds, and 

 Cedar Waxwings arrived in Sjcamore 

 Grove Park. Bluebirds were fairly common 

 in the large valleys all summer. The first 

 Golden-crowned Sparrow record for the 

 season was made on the above date, also 

 White Pelicans flying southward. October 

 31, Mountain Bluebirds were seen near 

 Culver City, and in the same locality 

 Meadowlarks were abundant. November 

 2, the Black-throated Gray Warbler was 

 noticed. This date was notable for an 

 extraordinary gathering of White-throated 

 Swifts at Point Firmin. Their swift flight 

 and kaleidoscopic changes of formation 

 as they wheeled in lofty evolutions, their 

 white throats illuminated b}' the level 

 rays of the descending sun, made a spectacle 

 of wonder and great beauty, long to be 

 remembered. Another group of people 

 went down on the 5th and found them still 

 there. No estimate of the numbers could 

 well be made. November 9, a flock of 

 25 to 30 Pipits was seen in a dry field near 

 Silver Lake, where one lone bird gleaned 

 along the margin of the water. Who can 

 say why Pipits are solitary when on a shore 

 and gregarious in fields? Six Western 

 Gnatcatchers were also seen along the 

 brushy border of the field. November 10, 

 and on later dates, the Townsend Warbler 

 was seen in Echo Park, where a number of 

 them wintered last year. On this date a 

 Gray-headed Junco was found in Eagle 

 Rock Park with a large flock of Thurber's 

 that annually winter there. It is, very 

 probably, the same bird that was there 

 last year, as it is of rare occurrence here. 

 November 17, two Varied Thrushes were 

 seen in Mocahucnga Canon, and one of the 

 Blue-fronted Jays that havr been ihere 

 throughout the year. \()venil)er 27, a 



Common Loon was observed at the 

 reservoir in Franklin Canon. November 

 2Q, Red-breasted Sapsuckers were observed 

 at F^agle Rock and at Echo Park. At the 

 latter place there was a Common Loon. 

 Trips made to San Diego and interior 

 points November 20 to 30, by two diflterent 

 parties showed Say's Phoebe regularly 

 distributed throughout the region. Horned 

 Larks and Meadowlarks abundant. Hawks 

 and Crows in large numbers. The Fer- 

 ruginous Rough-leg has several times been 

 noted. White Pelicans were at San Jacinto 

 Lake. 



December 7, an afternoon of clearing 

 weather following a rainy morning, a very 

 large flock of Cedar Waxwings, estimated 

 at several hundred, alighted on the wires 

 over a Hollywood street, descending to 

 drink from the puddles. 



The shore-bird migration increased in 

 interest as the season advanced, several 

 species that were poorly represented in 

 the earlier part of the season becoming 

 abundant in November. Semi-palmated 

 Plover, Red-backed Sandpipers, Long- 

 billed Curlews, and Marbled Godwits were 

 very numerous. One Black Turnstone 

 was seen November 2 on a rocky point. 

 Northern Phalaropes were again observed 

 on November 9 on a slough near Wil- 

 mington, estimated about thirty birds. 

 November 1 7, three Red-throated Loons 

 and very large flocks of Bonaparte and 

 Heermann Gulls were observed. November 

 II, near White's Point, five American 

 Mergansers were noted and several White- 

 winged and Surf Scoters. The beautiful 

 Western Grebe is seen frequently upon the 

 ocean and at Silver Lake, .\mong the 

 rarer Ducks to visit this Lake were one 

 male and three female Buffleheads. The 

 American Golden-eye was seen on Franklin 

 Reservoir November 27. 



Twelve American Egrets have been 

 about the Harbor district all the fall. 

 They seem fearless and prosecute their 

 search for food undisturbed by passing 

 trolley cars and automobiles. December 

 3 and 5, in the broad open valley some 

 forty miles east of Los .Angeles, on freshly 

 plnwefj fields, Mountain Plover were 



