1913 BIRDS OF THE FRESNO DISTRICT 



107 



most fearless of all our winter birds. In point of size this species is one of 

 the smallest of the many winter visitants to the valley, but its trim form, bright 

 eyes, and friendly manner combine to make it a most interesting little creature. 

 The majority of our kinglets depart for their summer homes in the mountains 

 during late March, but as late as April 15 (1906) a few were still to be seen 

 along the Gould ditch near Clovis. 



During the winter months the kinglets often associate with Audubon Warb- 

 lers, probably because the feeding habits of the two species are so similar. The 

 frequent short, flycatcher-like sallies, with their resultant snapping of bills, in- 

 dicate the capture of untold insects, often so minute as to be invisible to the hu- 

 man eye. 



I was much interested one warm January day. in the efforts of a kinglet to 

 remove from its plumage a quantity of resin or gum that had adhered to ^t 

 from contact with the branches of a pepper tree. As the little fellow perched 

 scarce six feet away, twisting first to one side then to the other, the occasional 

 flash of his brilliant crown-patch contrasted strongly with the bright green 

 background of leaves. Resting a moment after each violent exertion the diminu- 

 tive creature would suddenly seize a particle of the troublesome matter in his 

 bill, and tug until it seemed that he would actually pluck the primary feathers 

 from his wings. Finally the gum was sufficiently removed to allow free use of 

 each feather, and Kinglet again became a busy, restless little sprite, with no time 

 for anything but the serious business of getting a meal. 



Western Gnatcatcher. Polioptila caerulea obscura Ridgway. 



The gnatcatcher is of common occurrence in late summer and fall over the 

 valley, but more particularly in that portion lying adjacent to the Sierra Nevada 

 Mountains. It occurs casually at other times also, but does not breed commonly 

 below the foothill belt. Single birds, or small scattered companies, sometimes 

 make their appearance in orchards and brush piles as early as August 15, and 

 from that time through all of September and the first half of October they may 

 often be encountered. January i, 191 1, was a clear, warm day foUowmg <» 

 heavy frost of the night preceding, and I was fortunate in finding a gnatcatcher 

 in a weed-grown berry patch within the city limits in the northern part of Fresno. 

 The characteristic "k-gee" attracted my attention as the bird passed by, jerking 

 about nervously. January 22 two more were seen near the same place; so that 

 the species is sometimes a winter visitant with us. 



Gnatcatchers were quite numerous in the willow^ along the Gould ditch, 

 south of Clovis, during March and April, 1906. au'^J several pairs remained to 

 nest for the first, and also the last, time within my knowledge. A bluish-colored, 

 lichen-covered nest found on June 6, was built fourteen feet above the ground 

 on a dead horizontal willow branch. One of the birds was occupying the nest, 

 in which were five fresh eggs. A more beautiful structure it would be hard to 

 imagine, and it was almost exactly the color of the bird herself. A framework 

 of very fine plant fibers, cobwebs and feathers, formed a light but strong basket, 

 over which were placed tree lichens, to make the nest harmonize with the branch 

 on which it was built. 



That same day another nest was located fifteen feet up, in the vertical forks 

 of another dead willow branch. Similar in appearance to the one described, this 



