San Francisco, California. (Marina, Presidio, Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Parlv and Lake Merced.) December 29, 1940, 97 species, 16,929 individuals, as follows: Red-throated Loon 8; Horned Grebe 2; Eared Grebe 123; Western Grebe 151; Pied-billed Grebe 69; White Pelican 1; Brown Pelican 26; Farallon Cormo- rant 73; California Heron 1; Black-crowned Night Heron 1; American Bittern 4- Mallard 706; Gadwall 8; Baldpate 47; Pintail 8; Cinnamon Teal 2; Shoveller 26-’ Wood Duck 1; Red-head 35; Ring-necked Duck 130; Canvas-back 128; Scaup 137 : American Golden-eye 9; Buffle-head 9; White-winged Scoter 1,463; Surf Scoter- 497; Ruddy Duck 195; Red-breasted Merganser 13; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1* Cooper Hawk 2; Red-tailed Hawk 2; Red-bellied Hawk 3; Sparrow Hawk 10- California Quail 207; Virginia Rail 2; Sora 1; Florida Gallinule 2; Coot 1,511- Snowy Plover 30; Killdeer 6; Surf-bird 23; Ruddy Turnstone 9; Black Turnstone 36; Wilson Snipe 21; Least Sandpiper 8; Sanderling 515; Red Phalarope 2- Glaucous-winged Gull 1,574; Western Gull 1,087; Herring Gull 19; California Gull 690; Ring-billed Gull 143; Short-billed Gull 987; Bonaparte Gull 91; Heermann Gull 4; Anna Hummingbird 174; Belted Kingfisher 2; Red-shafted Flicker 57- Downy Woodpecker 2; Black Phoebe 27; California Jay 4; Chestnut-backed Chickadee 190; Bush-tit 193; Red-breasted Nuthatch 3; Brown Creeper 4; Wren- tit 3; Winter Wren 2; Bewick Wren 40; Tule Wren 7; Robin 292; Varied Thrush 109; Hermit Thrush 48; Golden-crowned Kinglet 24; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 126; Pipit 151; Shrike 1; Hutton Vireo 3; Myrtle Warbler 16; Audubon Warbler 463; Townsend Warbler 26; Yellow-throat 39; English Sparrow 191; Western Meadow’- lark 30; Brewer Blackbird 1.311; Cowbird 4; Purple Finch 10; House Finch 143; Pine Siskin 45; Willow Goldfinch 19; Green-backed Goldfinch 7; Spotted Towhee 86; Savannah Sparrow 62; Junco 315; White-crowned Sparrow 1,479; Golden- crowned Sparrow 89; Fox Sparrow 64; Song Sparrow 201.
Enid Austin, Frances Blake, Gordon Bolander, Robert Failing, Edward Greenhood, Don Heyneman, Junea Kelly, Harold Kirker, Francis Mathews, Edwin McClintock, William McGill, Arthur Myer, Albert Stephens, Laura Stephens.
Gordon Bolander.
Bird Census at Nixon, Nevada
Nixon, Nevada. (Pyramid Lake shore and canyons, Junction of Nevada Routes 33 and 34 to mouth of Truckee River and Nixon to mouth of Truckee River.) Sagebrush (Upper Sonoran) desert, cottonwoods along river, and lower part of Juniper-Pinyon desert, (Transition) on sides of canyons. December 27, 1940; 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Overcast; light, persistent rain, clearing in late afternoon; light snow above 5,000 feet. Three observers together. Total party hours afield: 10% (8% afoot, 2% by car); total party miles: 43 (13 afoot, 30 by car). Eared Grebe 1; Canada Goose 60; Mallard 1; Red-breasted Merganser 2; Cooper Hawk 1; Red-tailed Hawk 1; California Quail 51; Coot 21; Killdeer 1; Wilson Snipe 1; California Gull 62; Say Phoebe 1; Horned Lark 127; American
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[February
1941]
THE GULL
Magpie 16; Raven 1; Townsend Solitaire 1; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1; American Pipit 1; House Sparrow 10; Western Meadowlark 1; House Finch 60; White- crowned Sparrow 45; Song Sparrow 7. Total 26 species, 549 individuals. Seen on the 26th: Prairie Falcon 1; Shrike 1; seen on the 28th: Whistling Swan 4.
David G. Nichols, Joost Ter Pelkwijk, Robert W. Storer.
Bird Census at Benicia, California
Benicia, California. December 28, 1940, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Heavily overcast throughout the day; light east wind; temp. 48° at start, 49° at return. Both observers traveling together by automobile with occasional stops to canvass the marsh and hills along highway between Benicia and Cordelia, the two towns being 14 miles apart. Total man-hours 15. Horned Grebe 1; Western Grebe 9; California Heron 3; American Egret 10; Brewster Egret 17; Mallard 8; Baldpate 4; Pintail 300; Shoveller 150; Canvas-back 600; Lesser Scaup 50; American Golden-eye 8; Surf Scoter 2; Ruddy Duck 300; White-tailed Kite 1; Red-tailed Hawk 8; Marsh Hawk 14; Prairie Falcon 3; Sparrow Hawk 26; Coot 2,000; Glaucous-winged Gull 6; Western Gull 55; California Gull 10; Bonaparte Gull 25; Burrowing Owl 1; Anna Hummingbird 2; Kingfisher 1; Red-shafted Flicker 40; Willow Woodpecker 1; Black Phoebe 2; Say Phoebe 3; Nicasio Jay 25; Plain Titmouse 1; Suisun Marsh Wren 5; Mockingbird 1; Western Robin 3,000; Varied Thrush 20; Western Bluebird 20; Mountain Bluebird 50; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 16; Pipit 6; Shrike 22; Audubon Warbler 45; House Sparrow 30; Meadowlark 350; Red-winged Blackbird 125; Tricolored Blackbird 10; Brewer Blackbird 5,000; House Finch 10; Willow Goldfinch 100; Green-backed Goldfinch 6; Spotted Towhee 4; Savannah Sparrow 50; Junco 85; Nuttall Sparrow 140; Golden- crowned Sparrow 27; Song Sparrow 22. Total 57 species, about 12,830 individuals.
The White-tailed Kite was well observed with 8-power glasses at 200 feet. This species is never common, though at least one may usually be seen during the course of a day’s trip. The most I have observed in one day in this area is nine. Shorebirds, which are usually found on the mud flats at low tide, were entirely absent during the census due to high flood-waters throughout the day following eleven consecutive days of rainfall. Many waterfowl seen in the dis- tance could not be definitely identified because of poor visibility.
Emerson A. Stoner, James M. Barkley.
Bird Census at Boulder City, Nevada
Boulder City, Nevada. (Lake Mead shore, Recreational Center Beach for five miles north, desert and canyons to the west, Boulder City, and Boulder Dam area. Creosote bush-cactus (Lower Sonoran) desert and suburban.) December 29, 1940, 6:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Overcast, light rain from noon on. Three observ- ers together. Total party hours afield: 7% (5% afoot, 2 by car); total party miles: 32 (8 afoot, 24 by car): Pied-billed Grebe 1; Great Blue Heron 5; Shovel- ler 1; American Merganser 5; Golden Eagle 1; Prairie Falcon 1; Ring-billed Gull 1; Say Phoebe 2; Raven 3; Rock Wren 2; Crissal Thrasher 2; Robin 5; Plumbeous Gnatcatcher 2; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2; American Pipit 2; Shrike 1; Audubon Warbler 1; House Sparrow 30; Brewer Blackbird 6; House Finch 19; Lark Bunting 6; Savannah Sparrow 2; Sage Sparrow 77; White-crowned Spar- row 16. Total species 24, 193 individuals.
David G. Nichols, Joost Ter Pelkwijk, Robert W. Storer.
December Field Trip
The December field trip was taken on the fifteenth to the Berkeley campus of the University of California and Berkeley Aquatic Park. Rather disagreeable weather, presumably, deterred many members, but at 9:30 a.m. a small group of
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[February
THE GULL
1941]
birders assembled near Sather Gate from whence the trip was begun. Gray and impenetrable clouds hung over the Bay region all day, sending down occasional showers, but despite these unpromising conditions a very profitable trip resulted.
Approximately two hours were spent on the campus, during which the appeal ance of an unusually handsome male Purple Pinch amongst some Coton- east er pannosa, and more particularly a Slate-colored Junco considerably bright- ened the dreary day for us. Eleven-thirty found us at Berkeley Aquatic Park where another pleasant surprise awaited our notice, which after careful scrutiny iv as detei mined to be a Short-billed Gull; quite an unusual sight for most birders.
After completing our observations we were welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Myer to their home for refreshments. As always it was a very enjoyable occurrence. The following twenty-five species were seen on the University campus :
Sharp-shinned Hawk Quail
Anna Plummingbird Red-shafted Flicker Coast Jay California Jay Titmouse Bush-tit
Hermit Thrush Varied Thrush Robin
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Pipit
Audubon Warbler Brewer Blackbird English Sparrow Purple Finch
House Finch Spotted Towhee Brown Towhee Junco
Slate-colored Junco Nuttall Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Song Sparrow
The following thirty-four species were found
at Berkeley Aquatic Park :
Western Grebe Horned Grebe Eared Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Farallon Cormorant California Heron American Egret Mallard
Canvas-back Duck Lesser Scaup American Golden-eye Surf Scoter
Ruddy Duck Red-breasted Merganser Sparrow Hawk Coot
Black-bellied Plover Killdeer
Black Turnstone Least Sandpiper Red-backed Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Sanderling
Glaucous-winged Gull Western Gull Herring Gull California Gull Ring-billed Gull Short-billed Gull Bonaparte Gull Belted Kingfisher Pipit
English Sparrow Nuttall Sparrow
Members attending were: Mesdames Enid Austin and Kelly; Messrs. Green- hood, Heyneman, Myer and Pike.
Edwin P. Pike, Historian.
January Field Trip
The January field trip was taken on the 12th to Lake Merritt, Oakland. The day was overcast but not unpleasant. There were no outstanding observations made; in fact, the ducks were not very numerous, the recent heavy rains having sent them on their way farther south. However, a census was taken with the following result:
Eared Grebe 72 Western Grebe 1 Pied-billed Grebe 45 American Egret 2 Black-cr. Night Heron 12 Mallard 3 Baldpate 303±
Pintail 48
Green-winged Teal 4 Shoveller 2 Canvas-back Duck 205 Lesser Scaup 141
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Amer. Golden-eye 41 Ruddy Duck 480 Quail 2 Coot 237
Glaucous-winged Gull 145 Western Gull 4 California Gull 17 Heermann Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 21 Bonaparte Gull 68 Anna Hummingbird 1 Red-shafted Flicker 2
California Jay 2 Bush-tit 30 Hermit Thrush 1 Ruby.-cr. Kinglet 1 Robin 12
Cedar Waxwing 50 Audubon Warbler 3 English Sparrow Brewer Blackbird 50 Nuttall Sparrow 12 Song Sparrow 2 35 species
[February
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1941]
Eighteen members attended the trip, as follows: Messrs, and Mesdames Dunshee, Myer, Stephens; Mesdames Courtright, Saunders; Misses Berg, Blake, Cohen, Maclver, Stanton; Messrs. Greenhood, Kirker, Leffler, Provoo, Robert Taylor, and seven guests: Mesdames Boot, Johnson; Miss Johnson; Messrs. Glenn, Kett, Landels and Roush.
Laura A. Stephens, Historian.
Audubon Notes
February Meeting: The regular meet- ing will be held on Thursday evening, the 13th, at 8 o’clock, in the Ferry Building.
The speaker of the evening will be Dr. Alden H. Miller, Director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Univer- sity of California. His subject will be “Territorial Behavior in Birds.”
The lecture will be illustrated.
February Field Trip will be taken on Sunday, the 16th, to the region of To- males Bay, Marin County, by private automobiles. The party will meet at Manzanita Station at 7 a.m. A short stop will be made for observations. Then we will meet again at Point Reyes “bus station” at 8 a.m. Here the leaders will take charge.
Please advise Miss Frances J. Blake, 1505 Holly Street, Berkeley, by Febru- ary 10th, whether you need or can fur- nish transportation.
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January Meeting: The 24th annual and the 281st regular meeting was held on Thursday, the 9th, in the Ferry Building with thirty-four members and guests present. President B. K. Dun- shee presiding.
Officers and directors for the year 1941 were elected as follows:
James K. Moffitt President
Gordon Bolander 1st Vice-President
David G. Nichols 2nd Vice-President
Joseph J. Webb Corresponding Secy.
Frank G. Watson Recording Secy.
Mrs. Albert B. Stephens Treasurer
B. K. Dunshee Director
Miss Frances J. Blake Director
Laidlaw O. Williams Director
Mr. Laidlaw O. Williams gave a very brief talk on “Courtship in Birds,” stressing the possibilities in the study for the amateur bird student. He cited as possibilities certain points in the mating behavior of the Brandt Cormo- rant, a study he has gone into rather extensively.
Mr. Andrew S. Gibb exhibited his ex- cellent colored motion pictures which he took for Mr. Williams, illustrating the points in the latter’s talk.
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77*
1941 Dues: The annual dues for the year of 1941 are now payable and all members are asked to make their re- mittances as early as possible to the Treasurer. It is requested that all checks be made in the name of the Audubon Association of the Pacific.
Audubon Association of the Pacific
Organized January 25, 1917
For the Study and the Protection of Birds
President. Mr. James Moffitt 1879 Broadway, San Francisco
California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Corresponding Secretary Mr. Joseph J. Webb 519 California St., San Francisco
Treasurer Mrs. A. B. Stephens 1695 Filbert St., San Francisco
Monthly meeting second Thursday, 8 P. M., Ferry Building.
Address Bulletin correspondence to Mrs. A. B. Stephens, Editor, 1695 Filbert St., San Francisco.
Membership dues, payable January 1st, $3.00 per year.
Student memberships, $1.50 per year. Life memberships, $50.00.
Members are responsible for dues until written notice of resignation is received by Treasurer.
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