The Season 



173 



A Black-headed (irosbeak (not due in 

 numbers until late March) announced his 

 arrival on February 22; this date- brought 

 also Violet green Swallows. In 19 19 a very 

 large flock of Violet-green Swallows esti- 

 mated at above one thousand were storm- 

 bound at Echo Park Lake over March i^, 

 14, and 15, continuing their journey north- 

 ward on the morning of the i6th as the 

 weather cleared. Their departure, in a 

 vast spiral as they rose to a great height, 

 was watched by an Audubon Society mem- 

 ber. This year a storm occurred on the 

 1 6th, and again the Swallows were there — 

 but not in such numbers. Their spectac- 

 ular departure was not observed this year, 

 but on the 17th, a clear dav, they were not 

 seen. Barn and Cliff Swallows came early 

 in March, their numbers rapidly increas- 

 ing. March 15 brought the Western Wood 

 Pewee, the Western and Traill Flycatchers, 

 and two male Western Blue Grosbeaks. 



Phainopeplas, reported occasionally 

 throughout the winter, became numerous 

 about the middle of February. Lawrence 

 Goldfinches, not seen until the end of 

 January, have been reported frequently 

 since that date. 



A very early record for the Te.xas Night- 

 hawk was that of three birds observed in 

 San Fernando Valley on February 16, while 

 the appearance of the Russet-backed 

 Thrush on April 4 was almost equally 

 notable. 



While the spring migration seems to be 

 fairly under way, the winter residents and 

 some uncommon winter visitants are still 

 here. Audubon Warblers, abundant early 

 in the winter, are now rare. The Town- 

 send Warbler, apparently established as 

 an occasional winter resident, is now fairly 

 common, though the heavy flight usually 

 comes in late April or early May. The 

 Hermit Thrushes and Ruby-crowned King- 

 lets are, for the most part, gone from the 

 gardens, but one or two may be seen on a 

 day's walk in the hills or canons. Gambel 

 Sparrows and Golden-crowns are abundant 

 and in full song. Juncos were seen April i , 

 as were large flocks of Western Robins and 

 Cedar Waxwings. The Blue-Fronted Jay 

 was noted into April. On March 3 Red- 



breasted Nuthatches were still in Echo 

 Park, where they wintered. 



On February 8, a very damp, gray day, 

 eighteen Varied Thrushes were seen in 

 Griffith Park, where they had wintered. 

 March 8, another gray day, threatening 

 rain, two were seen in a small canon in the 

 Oak Knoll district of Pasadena, where 

 hundreds of Robins were gathered in the 

 leafless sycamore trees, singing and bath- 

 ing in the little stream. These Thrushes 

 were still present in the Hollywood Hills, 

 April 4. In the same trees with the Robins 

 were about twelve Blue-fronted Jays and 

 many California Woodpeckers, as well as 

 two or three Flickers. In the more open 

 region at the head of the canon a Lewis 

 Woodpecker first noted February 18, was 

 still at home on the poles where he was seen 

 by several parties during the intervening 

 days. Cabanis Woodpecker, a common 

 mountain bird, but exceedingly rare in the 

 lowlands, was seen near Whittier March 1 1 , 

 the Red-naped Sapsucker March 17, and 

 the Red-breasted Sapsucker in Echo Park 

 February 9. 



About seven Sierra Creepers that have 

 been in Whittier all winter were reported 

 still there March 25. Chickadees were still 

 in the foothill regions the latter part of 

 February. A large flock of Pine Siskins, 

 observed March 3, had the yellow areas in 

 the wings much enlarged and the color 

 brightened to a brilliant greenish yellow. 

 A small flock of Sier a Crossbills flew over, 

 high above the treetops, as the observers 

 studied the Siskins. Th's was the third 

 time the Crossbills were seen and heard on 

 the wing in Elysian Park, but they were 

 never found in the trees there as they had 

 been earlier in the season in other places. 



Mountain and Western Bluebirds were 

 very abundant in the broad, open valleys 

 and plains outside the city in February 

 and March. 



March 13 ten Egrets were seen near San 

 Pedro, and on the same day seventy-five 

 Mountain Plover, a species formerly win- 

 tering abundantly here but now sadly rare, 

 were noted in a plowed field, closely follow- 

 ing a horse-drawn harrow. — L. E. Wyman, 

 Los Angeles, Calif. 



