PASADENA TOURISTS 



WALTER P. TAYLOR 



DARWIN, in the enthusiasm of his youth, used to wonder why every 

 man was not an ornithologist. Thoreau, when asked why he had 

 not accepted the offer of a friend to take him abroad, replied that 

 he had so much of interest to see and investigate at home that he 

 could not spare the time. Some birds remain with us all the year, taking 

 no part whatever in the migration movement. The mockingbird, the 

 Pasadena thrasher, the Anthony and spurred towhees, the Parkman and 

 Vigoro wrens, the black phcebe, the Western shrike, the Brewer blackbird, 

 the San Diegan song-sparrow, the linnet, the tule yellowthroat, the wrentit,. 

 the flicker, the sparrow-hawk and the Western and black-tailed gnatcatch- 

 ers belong to this class. 



About September 23d the first intermediate sparrows of the season are 

 heard. Soon they arrive in large numbers and become the most numerous 

 bird in gardens and yards. Upon awakening in the morning, the first thing 

 one hears is the song of this pretty little white-crowned sparrow. A near 

 relative of the intermediate is the golden-crowned sparrow. He is a shyer 

 bird, and does not enjoy city life, reveling in the sandy washes which are 

 not in quite such close proximity to the haunts of man. As a rule, the 

 golden-crown is not seen until several weeks later than the intermediate, 

 so it is apparent that they do not travel in company. 



Perching jauntily upon a hydrant or any convenient post, we often see 

 the black phoebe, a resident the year round. His cousin, the Say phcebe, a 

 very pretty gray-and-brown fellow, likes to go into higher altitudes to spend 

 the summer, and is only present with us during the fashionable tourist 

 season. The ruby-crowned kinglet is just as interesting as his name would 

 lead one to suppose. He is a little green bird with a brilliant ruby crown, 

 who arrives with the advent of autumn to spend the winter. 



Second in point of numbers to the intermediate sparrow only, the Au- 

 dubon warbler makes his appearance with us about October 5th to 15th. 

 The plumage changes of this bird are marvelous. The females and imma- 

 ture males are so gray that one would hardly take them for Audubon 

 warblers. The males, in their adult breeding plumage, are clothed in 

 very handsome yellow, black, and white suits. It is hardly possible to leave 

 this discussion of winter birds without mention of the cedar waxwing, the 

 wanderer, one of the most delicately and artistically colored birds in North 

 America; the robin, which reminds one of the Eastern States; and the 

 varied thrush, whose size and coloring are sure to attract attention. 



These birds remain with us until spring. At that time, drawn by the 

 irresistible migration instinct, they leave for other parts. Then a host of 

 bright summer birds, in brilliant nuptial plumage, come to take their 

 places. The happy little summer yellowbird, the thick-billed, black-headed 

 grosbeak, the iridescent Phainopepla niteno, the pretty pileated warbler, 

 the modest, russet-back thrush, the interesting Western wood-pewee, the 

 broad-billed, ash-throated flycatcher, and the rare Tolmie warbler are some 

 of the birds that make us glad at that time. The first yellow warblers, or 

 summer yellowbirds, are heard about the first of April. When we hear cer- 

 tain full, strong notes, we know that the black-headed grosbeak has come. 

 The phainopepla is without question one of the handsomest of summer 

 birds. If you see in the course of your wanderings a flash of color, the body 

 a brilliant yellow, the crown a shiny black, you may know it to be the 

 pileated warbler. The russet-backed thrush loves cool and shady places 

 in the canons near town. Occasionally one sees him in the city. The 

 Western wood-pewee. and the ash-throated flycatcher belong to the great 

 group, Tyrannidae. 



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