The Season 



357 



4 (in Claremont Canyon, where they are re- 

 corded earliest in the spring), and Allen 

 Hummingbirds on October ii (Mrs. Bogle). 



Winter birds were reported on the following 

 dates: Red-breasted Nuthatch, September 7 

 (Miss Wythe and Mrs. Allen); Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, September 14 (Mrs. Allen); 

 Cooper Hawk, September 16 (Mrs. lAllen); 

 Intermediate Sparrows, September 22 (Mr. 

 Storer); Townsend Warbler, September 25 

 (Miss Wythe) ; Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned 

 Sparrow and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Sep- 

 tember 30 (Mrs. Allen); Audubon Warbler 

 and Golden-crowned Kinglet, October i 

 (Miss Wythe); Cedar Waxwing, October 8 

 (Mrs. Allen); Say's Phcebe, October 8 (Mrs. 

 Kibbe); Dwarf Hermit Thrush, October 11 

 (Mr. Storer) ; and Varied Thrush, October 1 2 

 (Mrs. x\llen). 



A few of the more unnsual birds have been 

 reported as follows: A Cassin Vireo on the 

 University Campus on August 23 (Dr. 

 Grinnell); Western Tanagers, August 20, 

 September 2 (Mrs. Allen) ; September 24 

 (Mrs. Schlesinger) ; Western Gnatcatcher, 

 September 7 (Mrs. Allen), October 5 (Mrs. 

 Bogle); Creeper, September 28 (Mrs. Allen), 

 October i (Miss Wythe); Western Winter 

 Wren, October 5 (Mrs. Schlesinger); and 

 White-throated Sparrow, October 12 (Mrs. 

 Freeborn). — Amelia S. Allen, Berkeley, 

 Calif. 



Los Angeles Region. — The efforts of the 

 Least Terns of Playa del Rey to hold title to 

 their historic nesting-ground, in the face of 

 the increasing aggressions of their chief 

 enemy, man, and his attendant satellites, have 

 been graphically described in a recent orni- 

 thological magazine. 



On August 13, a half hour was spent by 

 the writer in watching and counting Least 

 Terns that were resting on the upper beach. 

 x\ few came and went to and from lagoons 

 and ocean, the number in the flock at rest 

 varying from 25 to 31, all but three of them 

 being adult birds. No young were seen on 

 the wing. Willets were numerous, a large 

 proportion of those seen wearing the plumage 

 of the young. Western Gulls were accom- 

 panied by their young. 



September i. Orioles and Black-headed 



Grosbeaks came for the last time to the 

 writer's garden. A bed of blossoming four- 

 o-clocks in the garden of a member held the 

 Orioles there until the supply was exhausted 

 September 16. 



September 2, 3, and 4, near Fallbrook, San 

 Diego County, Lark Sparrows were very 

 abundant in the fields. A Buzzard's roost 

 was located, occupied by about 50 birds. In 

 the vicinity of Los Angeles, the extension of 

 agriculture and of buildings into areas for- 

 merly utilized as pasturage has reduced the 

 numbers of Buzzards very noticeably. An- 

 other group, going to San Diego September 

 2, kept a close watch for Phalaropes, but saw 

 none. Returning September 4, small flocks of 

 the Northern Phalaropes were seen scattered 

 along the coast, aggregating perhaps 50 birds. 

 Willets, Godwits, Dowitchers, Sanderling 

 were numerous. One Avocet was seen, and 

 many flocks of Forster's Terns, the first re- 

 ported this season. Black Terns were seen at 

 Lake Elsinore, where there were three White 

 Pelicans. First Ducks of the season were 

 flying southward over the ocean in large 

 flocks. A beautiful sight was presented by a 

 large flock, thought to be Pintails, dropping 

 from the evening sky into the Santa Ana 

 River in its still reaches in the lower canyon. 



September 3, at the entrance of San 

 Antonio Canyon two Least Vireos were seen, 

 one of them singing in the extremely dry and 

 intensely hot air, with all the ardor of the 

 springtime. 



September was notable for a very distinct 

 revival of song on the part of a number of 

 species, Anthony Towhee, Black Phoebe, the 

 Shrike, Goldfinches, being especially evident. 

 The brilliance of the Shrike's September song 

 was commented on by several individuals. 

 September 12, in a Pasadena locaHty, the 

 writer listened to a mid-morning bird musi- 

 cale, the chief performers in which were 3 

 Shrikes, several Mockingbirds, many Green- 

 backed Goldfinches, and i Plain Titmouse. 

 x\ Phffinopepla was seen but not heard. 



September 14. A trip to Bolsa Chica re- 

 sulted in a list of 30 species, the most note- 

 worthy being i Royal Tern, seen to excellent 

 advantage resting on a bar with Forster's 

 Terns where its identity was evident in bill 

 and wing tips as well as comparative size; 



