Bird - Lore 



None of the handbooks or lists record the 

 Green-backed Goldfinch from Oregon, al- 

 though, as a matter of fact, it is one of the 

 commonest birds throughout the western 

 part of the state. It is very abundant about 

 Portland, and in the vicinity of my own home 

 on the east side outnumbers the common 

 Willow Goldfinch. 



During the month of June, Stanley G. 

 Jewett was on the Malheur Lake Reservation 

 and reports that there is a considerable in- 

 crease in numbers among the Egrets, Ibis, 

 and Western Willets. He also reported that 

 Ducks, particularly Cinnamon Teal and Gad- 

 wall, were present in numbers. He found that 

 the Ravens were destroying enormous num- 

 bers of nests and eggs, which is, however, a 

 usual thing about these big bird colonies in 

 the desert countries. He also found the 

 Sandhill Cranes to be less numerous than 

 usual. 



Bob-whites, which have been introduced 

 into this country, seem to have had a good 

 year and are more abundant than they have 

 been at any time in the past four years. The 

 Robin has become so numerous as to be a 

 pest to the berry-growers of the Portland 

 district and causes considerable loss to the 

 earlier berries, but later, when berries become 

 more abundant, the loss is not so noticeable. 



On July 20, while on the beach of Lincoln 

 County, a large shore-bird migration was 

 noticed. This consisted principally of West- 

 ern Sandpipers and Hudsonian Curlews. 

 One flock of 17 Sanderlings was noted and a 

 single Long-billed Curlew. A small flock of 

 Dowitchers and 5 Greater Yellow-legs were 

 seen on the mudflats at Newport. The 

 usual sea-birds were noted along the coast, 

 California Murres and Tufted Puffins being 

 particularly common. At the jetty in New- 

 port, large numbers of Cassin Auklets and 

 Marbled Murrelets were feeding in the harbor 

 entrance. I also noted a considerable number 

 of White-winged and Surf Scoters and three 

 or four American Scoters which evidently 

 had spent the summer off this coast. One 

 dead American Scoter was picked up on the 

 beach and 15 to 20 California Murres with 

 oil-soaked plumage were found dead, or 

 dying, during the day. — Iea N. Gabrielson 

 (of U. S. Biological Survey), Portland, Ore. 



San Francisco Region. — The whole of 

 the period covered has been free from hot 

 weather and has contained very few cold, 

 foggy days. Bird-life has seemed excep- 

 tionally abundant in the East Bay region. 

 A half-hour walk through Strawberry Canyon 

 on June 16 revealed the presence of many 

 pairs of Black-headed Grosbeaks, Song 

 Sparrows, San Francisco and California Tow- 

 hees, Pileolated Warblers, Vigors Wrens, 

 Bush-tits, Wren-tits, and Russet-backed 

 Thrushes. There were two Tolmie Warblers 

 singing, but no Vireos, either Hutton or 

 Warbling. On the lower campus. Warbling 

 Vireos were present but in reduced numbers, 

 and Russet-backed Thrushes had not yet 

 regained the normal population. Coast Jays, 

 Robins, Juncos, and Pine Siskins were 

 noticeably on the increase, but Lazuli Bunt- 

 ings were hard to find (Dr. Miller). One 

 of the usual nesting areas of the Rufous- 

 crowned Sparrow was burned over last year, 

 with the result that none of that species has 

 been observed since. On other bushy hill- 

 sides they are present as in former years. 

 The usual niches were occupied by Olive- 

 sided Flycatchers, but few Wood Pewees 

 were reported except from the Contra Costa 

 side of the hills. Mr. and Mrs. Kibbe found 

 the Bell Sparrow as formerly in its island of 

 artemisia and fern on a south sloping hillside. 



By June 18, young Quail were trailing 

 through a Berkeley garden. House Wrens 

 left their box on June 19, and Western Fly- 

 catchers tried their wings for the first time 

 on June 21. A second brood were raised in 

 the same nest and were almost ready to fly 

 on August 5. Full-grown young Thrashers 

 were accepting food from the parents on 

 June 29, and young Blue Jays began to pick 

 up food provided on July 3. Yellow War- 

 blers were singing still on August 10, and a 

 Robin on the topmost spray of a deodar 

 saluted the setting sun with its usual melody 

 on August 13. 



Shore-birds are reported by Mrs. Kelly to 

 have been very scarce during June. None 

 were seen on June 26, but on July 7 Curlews 

 began to come in and by August 4, 30 were 

 counted on the mud-flats near Lincoln Park. 

 Six Godwits and 4 Willets were also seen on 

 July 7, but the numbers have not increased 



