The Season 



209 



April 16; Yellow Warbler, April 20; Russet- 

 backed Thrush, April 26; Lazuli Bunting, 

 April 27; Olive-sided Flycatcher, May 4; 

 Wood Pewee, Chipping Sparrow and Oriole, 

 May 5. The Thrush was not in full song 

 until May 15. A pair of Lawrence Gold- 

 finches was seen repeatedtyin North Berkeley 

 and on April 29 seemed to be building. Juncos 

 and Robins were seen in so many localities 

 that they will soon be in the class with 

 Flickers and Pine Siskins — ^permanent resi- 

 •dents but more numerous in winter. 



The first whistle of Quail on guard was 

 heard on April 20, but a flock of eight to ten 

 was seen on April 22. Young Allen Hum- 

 mers left the nest on April 15, while in 

 another nest yoimg. Just hatched, were 

 foimd May 5. Another nest was Just in 

 the formation stage on May 6. On the 

 same date a Warbling Vireo's nest was nearly 

 finished. 



After May 14 the scene of observation was 

 shifted to the Santa Cruz Mountains, where 

 also the season was foimd to be farther ad- 

 vanced than at the same time last year. The 

 bird list of two previous years was increased 

 by the addition of Anthony Green Herons, 

 Poor Wills, House Wrens, Western Martins, 

 and Pygmy Nuthatches. The Nuthatches 

 and a colony of Martins were occupying holes 

 in the same dead yellow pine on the top of a 

 sandy ridge. A Bluebird, hovering near, 

 seemed interested in the tree too and very 

 likely had her yoimg in the lowest story. The 

 Nuthatches were housed in the attic and 

 were catching insects between trips to a live 

 pine near by. Black-throated Gray War- 

 blers, which were officially added to the list 

 of birds in this region only a few months ago 

 (see Condor, March, 19 21), but have been 

 noted as one of the common Warblers of the 

 region during the three years I have visited 

 it, have totalled in my notes eleven pairs, if 

 each singing male represents a pair. They 

 seem to be stationed from a quarter to half a 

 mile apart along the bottom of the valley, 

 only one of the eleven being on the hillside. 



Juncos, Creepers, Bush-Tits, and Allen 

 Hummers had young out of the nest by May 

 20, and a family of Lutescent Warblers, 

 tucked snugly in a nest placed in a hole in 



the stream-bank, tried their wings on May 

 23. On June 8, Tanagers were found in the 

 same tree where they were seen last year, 

 but there was no opportunity to discover 

 whether they were nesting or simply helping 

 to dispose of the cherry crop in an orchard 

 near by. — Amelia S. Allen, Berkeley, Calif. 



Los Angeles Region. — Cool weather and 

 abxmdant rain have prevailed during April 

 and May in Los Angeles and vicinity. The 

 only noticeable effect of these nearly im- 

 precedented weather conditions upon the 

 seasonal migration was to bring the birds in 

 their old-time abimdance again to Nigger 

 Slough, which held more water than for sev- 

 eral seasons past. Ducks observed there dur- 

 ing the period covered were the Pintail, 

 Scaup, Baldpate, Shoveller, Ruddy, Red- 

 head, Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, 

 and Fulvous Tree Ducks. Black-necked 

 Stilts, Yellow-legs, Long-billed Dowitchers, 

 Hudsonian Curlew, Marbled Godwits, Black- 

 bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Red- 

 backed, Least, and Western Sandpipers were 

 there in considerable numbers. An Anthony 

 Green Heron was noticed April 16, and the 

 resident Black-Crowned Night Herons were 

 observed to be wearing their nuptial plumes. 

 Less common visitors were the beautiful 

 Black Terns and five Wilson Phalaropes seen 

 there on April 25 and 27. On these dates the 

 Black Turnstones were seen at White's Point 

 for the last time, and on the 27th, the first 

 Wandering Tattlers appeared. They were 

 seen there several times during the succeeding 

 fortnight, in groups of six or seven birds. The 

 27th also marked the departure of the last of 

 the Black-bellied Plover, and the arrival of a 

 colony of Bank Swallows at San Pedro. 

 Rough-winged Swallows were seen near the 

 Lagima hills May 8, and near Sycamore 

 Grove, Arroyo Seco, about the same date, 

 where Vaux Swifts were also observed several 

 times. Tree Swallows were found nesting in 

 willow trees at Sanford Bridge, San Gabriel 

 River, May 9, and Violet-Green Swallows 

 occupied their old nest- tree in Eaton Canon. 



The arrival of the land-birds was noted as 

 showing little variation from average dates. 

 The Blue Grosbeak, occasionally noticed late 



