232 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVIII 
Some Field Notes from Western Sonoma County, California. — I spent the month of 
July, 1916, in western Sonoma County, with headquarters at Camp Meeker. Several trips 
were made into various parts of the county. These trips covered pretty thoroughly the 
territory from Santa Rosa to Cazadero, thence west to the ocean and south to the Marin 
County line. The following list does not contain all the birds noted; only those are 
mentioned whose occurrence in the territory explored seems worthy of note. 
Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin. One flew out from under an over-hanging rocky 
cliff near the mouth of the Russian River, July 17. 
Oceanodroma Jcaedingi. Kaeding Petrel. A bird believed to be of this species, cer- 
tainly a petrel, was seen to fly out of a cleft in a high rocky cliff about one mile south 
of the mouth of the Russian River on the same day that the puffin was seen. It is pos- 
sible that a few of these birds nested there earlier in the season. 
Mergus serrator. Red-breasted Merganser. A male and female seen on the Russian 
River about a mile from the ocean on July 17. This duck is a common winter visitant 
to these shores, but its occurrence in mid-July seems rather unusual. 
Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. Several seen on the Russian River between 
Monte Rio and Duncan’s Mills, July 10. Two young not yet able to fly, but abundantly 
able to run, were seen. 
Columba fasciata fasciata. Band-tailed Pigeon. Two were seen on Willow Creek, 
July 17. More were heard hooting in the redwoods along the same stream. 
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey. One was seen about a mile from 
the mouth of the Russian River on July 17. It was catching fish by plunging into the 
river. Two others were seen a mile above Monte Rio on July 22. One nest was noted 
on the very tall stump of a broken redwood near Rio Campo. Bird students will doubt- 
less be glad to know that this interesting bird is still breeding on the Russian River. 
Agelaius phoeniceus caurinus. Northwestern Red-winged Blackbird. The Red- 
winged Blackbirds of the lower Russian River seem to me to be of this subspecies rather 
than Agelaius phoeniceus calif ornicus. No specimens were taken, but it is my opinion 
that an examination of specimens would reveal that what I have suggested is true. 
Junco oreganus thurberi. Sierra Junco. Birds of this species were seen feeding 
young at Camp Meeker on July 2. They have been noted at Cazadero before, but this 
seems to be the first time they have been found breeding as far south in Sonoma County 
as Camp Meeker. 
Piranga ludoviciana. Western Tanager. An adult male was seen on the Russian 
River about a mile above Duncan’s Mills, July 10. 
Hylocichla guttata slevini. Monterey Hermit Thrush. Noted twice at Camp Meeker 
and heard almost every evening in the redwood canons back of the camp. — W. A. Squires, 
San Francisco , California. 
Notes on the Dark-bodied Shearwater. — Puffinus griseus has been observed on San 
Francisco Bay more frequently during July and August of the present year than it has 
ever before been my good fortune to record, recent observations having been as follows: 
July 20, 4:40 p. m. A small movement was noted westerly from Alcatraz Island, 
where the birds were working their way oceanwards along the outer edge of an extremely 
heavy “channel fog’’. 
July 21, 4:35 p. m. A similar movement was observed under like conditions in about 
the same locality. 
July 22, 8:17 a. m. A small group of these birds was seen, again in the same local- 
ity, bobbing up and down on the choppy water. As the ferry boat approached, they lum- 
beringly took to wing, passing directly across our bow, some dropping on the water but a 
few feet away. This afforded such a close view as to confirm the identification. 
August 7, 7:15 a. m. A lone individual was seen settled on the water and in the 
same locality. 
The last two records were made on beautifully clear days thus casting doubt upon 
the theory that San Francisco Bay occurrences are due to misdirected wanderings during 
exceptionally thick fogs. It now seems more probable that unusually heavy runs of fish 
bring us these casual visitors. — John W. Mailliarii, San Francisco. California. 
