Jan., 1912 
BIRDS OF A MOHAVE DESERT OASIS 
33 
Daggett, San Bernardino County, California. Here the water comes to the surface 
making two ponds about a half a mile apart, connected by a little stream of flow- 
ing water. One of the ponds is about one hundred yards long by fifteen wide, the 
other about half as large. In some places the water is twelve feet deep. On one 
side of the pond thick brush, mesquites and cottonwoods come right down to the 
water’s edge, and on the other side it is open and sandy making it especially favor- 
able for shore birds. For probably a half a mile surrounding the water-holes mes- 
quite trees and bushes grow profusely, with a scant mingling of cottonwoods. 
Outside of this tree area is the desert, mostly sandy, and in the majority of 
places covered with small pieces of broken lava. The only vegetation is the grease- 
wood bushes and other low desert shrubs. No cactus or tree yuccas grow in this 
vicinity. 
With the exception of a little water above Daggett and twelve miles below the 
oasis, there is none for miles around, so this place becomes indeed a place of rest 
for the migrants, and an ideal home for the residents. 
The climate here is mostly very warm during June, July, August and Sep- 
tember, generally 100 degrees or more every day. In the winter time the ther- 
mometer sometimes goes as low as twenty-five degrees above zero in the early 
mornings. There is practically no rainfall. I only saw rain twice that would wet 
one were he out in it, and that only lasted for two hours. 
During the twelve months from August 1, 1910, to August 1, 1911, the writer 
was located at a mine three miles from the water hole, and eleven hundred and fifty 
feet up the mountain side from the floor of the valley. The little railroad town of 
Yermo three miles away produced a couple of birds seen nowdiere else. Around the 
railroad shops is a small oily pond, formed from the waste from the shops, and this 
sometimes attracted a few birds, often to their sorrow, on account of the crude oil 
all about. 
I desire here to extend to Mr. H. S. Swarth and Mr. J. Grinnell my sincere 
thanks for their trouble in identifying many of the birds. 
For the sake of identification specimens of all birds mentioned in this article 
were secured, with the following exceptions: Forster Tern, Black Tern, Canada 
Goose, Wood Ibis, Sandhill Crane, Wilson Phalarope, Turkey Vulture, Marsh 
Hawk, Prairie Falcon, White-throated Swift, Rufous Hummingbird, Western Chip- 
ping Sparrow, San Diego Towhee, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, and California 
Yellow Warbler. Below is the list of the birds seen. 
Colymbus nigricollis calif ornicus. Eared Grebe. Two were recorded, one seen 
August 28 and one secured September 27. 
Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. These are resident in small numbers 
the year round and could be seen on nearly every trip to the water hole. Some 
small young were seen July 30. 
Gavia immer. Common Eoon. One seen April 10, and one secured April 16. 
This one was in an extremely emaciated condition. 
Larus Philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull. But a single bird was seen, secured 
November 8. 
Sterna forsteri. Forster Tern. A single one was seen fishing at the water hole 
August 13. 
Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. A single bird was seen hover- 
ing over a small oily pond near the railroad shops June 28. 
Phalocrocorax auritus albociliatus. Farallon Cormorant. Two were seen dur- 
ing the year of these observations, one August 12, and another seen and secured 
November 8. 
