tio 



Bird - Lore 



}'A',iik\nr(], (7r-,rr) Horned Lark, Magpie, 

 and Tree Sparrow. Of these 4, it can 

 readily be seen that 3 are residents through- 

 out the year, and x a winter visitor only. 

 On Christmas Day, igi2, only 5 species 

 were seen, due to inclement weather pre- 

 venting an extended search, while on the 

 same day, in igig, 19 species were seen, 

 notwithstanding that the early part of the 

 month of l^eccmber had been extremely 

 'old While weather conditions make a 

 djffcirni c in the lists gathered, yet it seems 

 to <hc writer that the thoroughness and 

 extent of search make a greater difference. 

 One can say from fli( brief review of this 

 season's fjird-tifc, during the past fevi/ 

 years, that it was, in 1919, somewhat out 

 of the ordinary. Thus one learns that of 

 the 37 species seen during eight years, 

 seven were nolcfl for I he lir.-,t lirnf; wfiy 

 this happened lo l><: one c;innol rs;i,y. 

 Perhaps it was |)urf lu(k. Tlii-. hirge 

 number of birds nev/ lo that dale, together 

 with the fa,ct that only once before were 

 as many as 19 species seen on Christmas 

 Day, gives color to the idea that the 

 season just passed has been out of 

 the ordinary. — W. H. Beugtovd, Dnrucr, 

 Colo. 



San FKANTTsno RKoroN. Wintry 

 weather in the l>ay rrj/ion lasted from 

 Thanksgiving Da.y until ja,nuary 9, with 

 occasional warm days lo relieve the 

 monotony of cold north winrls. tJnusiud 

 bird records are expected when such cold 

 visits us, for it means that birds are driven 

 down from the higher altitudes where the 

 weather is mn<h more severe. This may 

 a(c:oiiril for I lie numerous rc(f)rds of 

 Sierra (Jrossbills width liave been sent in 

 from Carmel, Pacific Crove, Golden Gate 

 J^ark, Berkeley, and other points, as also 

 for the early flocking of Wcslcrn Robins 

 in (his vicinity. 



All the winter visilajils h;i.ve been noWd 

 this year, with the exception of the Golden- 

 crowned Kinglets, which were surprisingly 



abundant during last v/inter, but seem 

 to be missing so far this year. In Berkeley, 

 Juncos, and Pine Siskins have been present 

 in very large flocks, Bluebirds have been 

 seen more often than usual, vi?hile Pipits, 

 Varied Robins, Red-breasted Nuthatches, 

 and Western Winter Wrens have been 

 quite common. On a certain brushy hill- 

 side to the south, a little coterie of Western 

 Gnatcatchers has remained since October, 

 while farther north a ffou-c Wren, more 

 hardy than most of its tribe, has been 

 resident for the third winter. 



After January lo the weather was v^ry 

 mild, so that now (February i) wild currant 

 is in full bloom and almond trees, Japanese 

 cjuince, and many blossoming shrubs 

 are radiant with color. The Anna Hum- 

 mingbird is in fine feather as he buzzes 

 ;i,bt)Ut these blossoms. He still has them 

 to himself for a few days until the Allen 

 ■,\sii] kuff>us Hummers arrive to compete 

 with him for tjie supply of honey. Many 

 of tfie |(errnanent residents are singing 

 freely. In the canons, California Thrashers, 

 Titmice, Vigors Wrens, San Francisco 

 Towhees, Hutton Vireos and Flickers are 

 all tuning up, while the Meadowlarks make 

 the open fields resound. The Nuttall 

 Sparrows are withdrawing from the flocks 

 of f nterrncdiale Sparrows and sing con- 

 slantly near last year's nesting-sites. 



On J>ake Merritt, in Oakland, the Ducks, 

 Gulls, and Grebes make a wonderful show. 

 Pintails and Canvasbacks predominate 

 at this season, the former on the lawns and 

 the latter on the lake. Baldpates and 

 Shovellers wander about on the grass like 

 chickens, while Lesser Scaup and Ruddy 

 h licks, Fared Grebes, and Coots add their 

 forces to those of the Canvasbacks. Golden 

 Eyes, BufiHehead, and Green-winged Teal 

 arc present also, and many Killdeer feed 

 jilonf^ the shpre. On i«ike Merced, in San 

 t'rani iseo, a flock of .-i fjozen Whistling 

 Swans have delighted I he hearts of bird- 

 lovers in this region. — Amkua S. Af.LiiN, 

 Berkeley, Calif. 



