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Bird - Lore 



foothill canons has been noted and com- 

 mented on by nearly all our observers. 

 Arizona Hooded Orioles were recorded by 

 three different observers as remaining until 

 September 20, about a month later than 

 their usual time of departure. The young 

 were still being fed September 14, but 

 whether they were a second brood or not 

 was not determined. One fuU-plumaged 

 male was seen and its call heard Septem- 

 ber 19. No other males were noted later 

 than August 26. A Dove's nest with four 

 fresh eggs was found September 4. A very 

 noticeable falling off in the numbers of 

 Doves and Meadowlarks, as compared 

 with three or four years ago, may be 

 attributed in part at least to the use of 

 poisoned grain in the organized campaign 

 carried on for the extermination of the 

 ground squirrel. Quail, which keep more 

 to the cover of brushy hills and canons, are 

 apparently holding up better. Meadow- 

 larks, however, were seen in great numbers 

 in the Antelope Valley in the early part of 

 September, as were also Crows, Sparrow 

 Hawks and Ravens. 



At the summit on the Ridge route (alti- 

 tude 5,320 feet) overlooking Antelope Val- 

 ley, birds of many species were abundant. 

 Among those noted in a brief stop were 

 Western Bluebirds, Purple Finches, Plain 

 Titmice, Slender-billed Nuthatches, Green- 

 backed Goldfinches, and many California 

 Woodpeckers. Twenty-five white Pelicans 

 were seen in flight over Crane Lake on 

 September 4. 



August records include four Anthony 

 Green Herons at Echo Park Lake on the 3d, 

 and on the 7th 75 Heermann Gulls at 

 Laguna Beach, most of them in the dark 

 plumage of the young birds. 



August 20, at the entrance of Eaton 

 Canon, a very large number of Western 

 Tanagers was seen, apparently all females 

 or young. On the 26th, another large flock 

 was seen in Griffith Park, which included 

 males still in summer plumage. The Black- 

 chinned Hummingbird was still with us 

 September 15, and on that date one Ru- 

 fous Hummingbird was seen. September 

 19 brought in migrating Brewer, Black- 

 chinned, and Lincoln Sparrows. The 



Gambel Sparrow was, as usual, the first of 

 ovir regular winter visitants to return, one 

 bird being reported about September 20. 

 The next report given me was for the 24th, 

 and after that there were daily accessions 

 until his cheery little song announced his 

 presence in all our gardens by the end of 

 the first week in October. Next to arrive 

 was the Audubon Warbler, first seen on 

 September 24, and abundant in a few days. 

 Say's Phoebe was found at Silver Lake on 

 its usual winter hunting-ground, Septem- 

 ber 24. Several Western Gnatcatchers 

 were also there on that date. Little has 

 been seen of the fall migration of Warblers. 

 The Pileolated and the Yellow, which have 

 been seen from time to time through the 

 summer, have had their numbers aug- 

 mented. A few Lutescents have been 

 noticed, and the Dusky that usually comes 

 in July or August delayed his arrival until 

 October i. 



The migration of shore-birds likewise has 

 been somewhat later than the average, with 

 intervals of almost total absence of those 

 birds ordinarily common. Most striking is 

 the small flocks of the Least and Western 

 Sandpipers, as contrasted with the thpu- 

 sands of former seasons. Marbled Godwits 

 have been more abundant than is usual, 

 as have also the Yellow-legs and Black- 

 bellied Plover. A fairly representative list 

 for September 12 included two Egrets, 

 three Ruddy Turnstones (rare), and two 

 Avocets. September 9 a large flock of 

 Northern Phalaropes, conservatively esti- 

 mated at 1,000, were seen on an inlet near 

 Long Beach. They have remained through 

 the month and have been seen by many 

 observers, though their numbers have 

 varied, 200 estimated October 5. Octo- 

 ber 3 two Surf-birds were seen near Long 

 Beach, attesting to the suitability of their 

 name by their actions. September 28, 

 October 5 and 7, at Playa Del Rey, an 

 Osprey was studied by large classes. He 

 was observed perching above the lagoon 

 on watch, soaring over the waters, dis- 

 playing his plumage to our interested 

 gaze, plunging for his prey, and bearing off 

 a fish in his talons. — Frances B. 

 Schneider, Los Angeles, Calif. 



