CHAPTER VII 



IN THE WILDS OF MENDOCINO 



A Retreat in the Redwoods. Its Birds and other Animal Life, 

 of Peculiar Habits of Bees and other Insects 



Details 



Deerwood is tne name we gave to a little 

 country place, belonging to a member of my 

 family, located in Mendocino county, twenty 

 miles or so northwesterly from Cloverdale, in 

 the world-famed redwood belt of California. 

 The location is made more attractive by 

 reason of its situation on the banks of that 

 beautiful stream known to trout fishermen 

 throughout the country as the Rancheria. The 

 property embraces a broad but short canyon 

 opening into the narrow valley or canyon of 

 the Rancheria. With its gentle sloping sides 

 it is suggestive of a grand and huge amphi- 

 theater covering between eight and ten acres 

 in area. The greater part, of the floor is under 

 cultivation and dotted with trees that in their 

 seasons supply us with the most perfect and 

 delicious fruits. On three sides — south, west 

 and north — the towering wall of the redwood 

 and fir forest forms the margin of our nook 

 and not only lends a feature of grandeur to 

 the site but by its protecting height shelters 

 us from the severities of strong winds. Our 

 amphitheater with its open side to the east 

 gives us a vista up the main canyon for a dis- 

 tance of a mile or two until obstructed by the 

 densely-wooded mountain range whose steep 

 sides form the east side of the canyon of the 

 Rancheria. The dwelling we occupy upon our 

 occasional visits to Deerwood is situated on 

 the elevation of the back part of the amphi- 

 theater, affording us an advantageous point 

 from which to enjoy this beautiful landscape, 

 embracing numerous representatives of the 

 trees famed in the flora of California — the 

 oaks, white, black and the evergreen; the 

 shapely laurel, the handsome madrone, maple, 

 ash, and alders. The view is varied by open 

 sections of green carpeted spots, enlivened at 

 times by the presence of cattle or sheep and 

 not unfrequently by deer. Besides there is a 

 glimpse of the running waters of the Ranch- 

 eria, its gravely bed and willow-lined banks, 

 to add to the charm of the picture. 



When I contemplate the beauty and varied 

 quantity of wild flowers and ferns to be found 

 here together with the great number of birds, 

 including the sweetest songsters whose de- 

 lightful music fills the air from the first break 

 of day to twilight, and numerous other forms 

 of life whose habits and characters make a 

 study that widens our vision of things and 

 opens the doors to some of the wonders of 

 Nature. I feel as if this was one of the spots 

 where the Almighty ruler of the universe had 

 chosen for an earthly temple wherein there 



was gathered in the springtime of the year 

 examples of His most beauteous work, for the 

 people who find pleasure in association with 

 them, as well as for the education of students 

 of Nature who would know more of His laws, 

 the knowledge of which gives a fuller insight 

 of the purpose and utility of all organic life 

 and of those relations that make for the better- 

 ment and greater comfort of all mankind. 



It was in this environment that I passed 

 two weeks and more of the latter part of April 

 and the first of May, and I now propose to 

 relate some of the things that came uder my 

 observation that interested me and may pos- 

 sibly be a source of interest to others. 



In our amphitheater were more birds than 

 could be found in any neighboring sections. 

 In the course of two or three days I noted 

 twenty-six different species. The greater part 

 of this number were observed from my com- 

 fortable seat on the porch of our dwelling. 

 No doubt I could have increased the list if I 

 had given the time for search among the 

 trees and undergrowth of the grounds for the 

 more shy kinds. The popularity of the place 

 with the bird life was probably due to the fact 

 there were less of their natural enemies in 

 the area occupied by the house and orchard, 

 the greater amount of sunlight in the opening 

 (much of surrounding country being densely 

 wooded), and the greater abundace of food 

 in the way of seeds and insects. 



The list of birds included a majority of the 

 best songsters we have in our state and while 

 daylight lasted their sweet, joyous and musical 

 voices could be heard at all times, but it was 

 in early morning and at the close of day that 

 the singers seemed inspired to fill the hour 

 with their best and most choice selections. 

 Especially was this so in the evenings when 

 the grossbeaks perched on the topmost 

 branches of the trees, the linnets about the 

 house, the little wrens in the rosebushes, 

 song sparrows in the willows nearby, orioles 

 in the treetops, and the russet-back thrush 

 in a neighboring canyon, were the principals 

 in these grand concerts, most delightful to 

 the ear and soul-inspiring. 



This was the height of the nesting season, 

 when the birds were mating and building their 

 nests, adding further interest in the activities 

 of our feathered neighbors and associates, for 

 they were about us and with us all day long 

 and day after day. The other morning a little 

 coon-faced chickadee flew onto our porch and 

 was hopping about in search of nesting mate- 



