Jan., 1909 
BIRDS OF THE BIG BASIX 
19 
followed by cayad, cay ad, cayad, or a high pitched keep, keep keep, or kee-lo, kee- 
lo, sometimes varied to kid, kid, kid. Nor is this all; for this very versatile bird at 
times breaks into a melodious sort of whistle which, while not of rare beauty, still 
is easily the equal of some of the birds termed songsters. 
The noisy California Woodpecker ( Me/anerpes fonuicivorus bairdi ) , with 
their loud, merry cry, yay-cob, yaj^-cob, yay-cob, were most of the time among the 
tops of the tallest trees, and here a tall tree means two hundred feet or so. Even 
from this great liight, however, their loud call resounding thru the woods was all 
too plainly heard by those who preferred to linger in the misty shades of dream- 
land in the early morning hours. 
Here, too, in these great redwood timber lands is the home country of the 
Point Pinos Junco ( Junco hyc ma Us f> in osns) . Attractive but rather shy, these 
little birds were nearly always about the edge of camp, hunting for stray morsels 
AZALEAS IN BIG BASIN 
Copyrighted 
in a quiet, unobtrusive way. The snow-bird can make no claim as a songster, yet 
with its dainty ways and pleasing plumage it is by no means the least interesting 
of the birds in the great forest. 
Down along those waterways, the Waddell, Berry Creek and others, that course 
thru the endless woods, are the haunts of less known forms of bird life. Know 
you how these silvery streams go laughing thru the forest beautiful? Where great 
trees line the banks with varied bark effects in grays and browns, and verdant 
moss-grown rocks and in gayer green the alders, ferns and shrubbery, and azaleas, 
too, veritable trees! thick with thousands of rich scented, snowy blossoms? This 
is a fairy land and the home of those feathered fairies, peerless in song, the Winter 
Wren, Water Ouzel and Hermit Thrush. Nor should comparisons be drawn be- 
tween their songs; for each in its way is a gem of bird-music. That of the Winter 
Wren cheery, high-keyed and sweet, lends a charm to every woodland ramble; the 
