The Gull

M&O
Serials
QL 671
.G84

THE

MONTHLY

'sj ( i V

RECEIVED

Volume 27

San Francisco, Cali'ornia, December, 1945

Number 12

Birds of the Swiss Alps

Extract of letter of August 3 0, 1945, from Gordon Bolander

While on a seven day furlough in Switzerland he speaks of the marvelous
scenery and the joy of being "in some real mountains again. Just to stand
with closed eyes and listen to the nutcrackers was to be back in our Sierra
once more. The dress of the bird is different (they wear 'salt and pepper’ suits
here) but the voice is identical. The voices of golden-crowned kinglets,
creepers, and the smaller Panuridae also sounded like home. We even had
golden eagles overhead to add to the illusion, but with wall creepers to be
seen along with wagtails, black redstarts, wheatears, and redbreasts it was all
too apparent that it was not the Sierra country. ...”

In connection with a description of the "splendor” of the Alps, mention is
made of the crows — "the flocks that wheel about the mountain tops are
possessed of really musical voices and are saved from the somber monotony
of their less fortunate brothers by a brilliant yellow bill and bright red
legs and feet. Quite a bird! The little wall creeper is another to catch the
eye. As he clings to the side of a canyon rock he presents a pearly gray back
to an observer, but, like a kinglet, he constantly flits his wings with a sidewise
motion, and it is then that his appearance undergoes a sudden, dazzling
change. Jet black primaries with large white spots serve to set off the totally
unexpected brilliance of the magenta-scarlet coverts. It is really a spot of
brilliance amid the shaded monotones of the canyon’s depths. The bird
certainly fits the country. ...”

November Field Trip

The November field trip of the Association was taken to Golden Gate Park
on the 11th, with Mr. Charles Bryant as our leader. Despite predictions of
inclement weather the day passed clear and cold.

The chief objectives were the park lakes and while little of great rarity
was observed several hours were profitably spent viewing the multitude of
ducks. Mallard, Pintail, Baldpate and Ruddies were in abundance. In with
them Scoup, Ringnecks, and two male Shovellers were observed. As usual fine

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December

THE GULL

1945

close-ups were obtained. Size and plumage comparisons could be easily noted
such as those between female Lesser Scrap and female Ringneck, etc.

At the Chain of Lakes the Florida Gallinule was sought. Presumably the
same adult individual occupies the middle lake, usually on or near the round
island. It was found cn the island. With it was an immature, slightly
slimmer, lighter bird with dull greenish bill. It followed the adult off into
the water. Later on the gallinules were again sought. The party was led right
to them by hearing the markedly different notes among those of the many coots.

At the close of the trip a bird was seen by the remaining members of the
group, which in everyone’s opinion followed closely the descriptions of the
Western and Cassius Kingbird. It was not, however, positively identified.

The following thirty
Pied-billed Grebe
Anthony Green Heron
Mallard
Baldpate
Shoveller
Pintail
Scaup

Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Sharp-skinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Florida Gallinule
Coot

nine species of birds were
Killdeer

California Gull
Anna Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Red-shafted Flicker
Kingbird (Species?)
Black Phoebe
Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
Western Robin
Ruby-crowned Kniglet
Pipit

noted:

Myrtle Warbler
Audubon Warbler
Yellow-throat
Brewer Blackbird
Purple Finch
Linnet
Pine Siskin
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Junco

Nuttall Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow

Ten members were present: Mrs. Bozant, Mrs. Stowell; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Myer; Misses Camilla and Clelia Paroni, Goen and Young; Messrs. Bryant,
Loren Cochrun. Three guests were present: Mrs. Augsberry; J. Gordon Irving,
S 1/c U. S. Navy; and Mr. Mayer.

Historian — J. Gordon Irving, S 1/c U. S. Navy,
Linnaean Society, New York.

October Meeting

The 3 37th meeting of the Associa-
tion was held on October 11, 1943,
with president, Arthur H. Myer, in
the chair. The resignation of Mrs.
Sadie Bozant from the program com-
mittee was accepted, and Mrs. D. M.
Curtis was appointed to fill the
vacancy, while Miss Mary E. Sterne
was appointed to replace Mrs. Curtis
on the Publicity Committee.

Field observations were given by Mr.
Walter W. Bradley, Donald Berger,
and Mr. Myer.

Mr. Bradley, our vice-president, pre-
sented the program of the evening on
"The Art of John James Audubon.”
The hand-colored slides reproduced
from Audubon’s paintings were great-
ly enjoyed.

— Monica Goen, Recording Secretary.

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December

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1945

November Meeting

The 3 3 8th meeting of the Associa-
tion occured on Thursday, November
8, with Mr. Arthur Myer presiding.

Mr. Myer named the new nominat-
ing committee — Mr. Charles Bryant,
chairman, Miss Jean Fay and Miss
Papina.

Field observations were given by Mr.
Bryant, Mr. Bradley, and Mr. Myer.

Mr. Myer welcomed the girl scouts
and their leaders, who were present.

Mr. Bradley, our vice-president, in-
troduced the speaker of the evening,
Mrs. Dorothy Dean Sheldon of Mills
College. Mrs. Sheldon showed several
fine reels of films of birds and small
mammals, which she had taken recent-
ly in the state of Nevada, and the
Sierra Nevada Mountains.

About 7 5 members and guests were
present.

— Monica Goen, Recording Secretary.

Observations

Edited by June a W. Kelly

The foil owing observations have
been reported:

On Oct. 8, Mrs. Mary L. Courtright
of Larkspur reported that Dr. and
Mrs. Paul Wilson of Kentfield have had
a Canada Jay at their window for a
week. The bird pecks at the glass.

Golden-crowned Sparrow, Sept. 24,
Eight Cedar Waxwings, Oct. 1, Lark-
spur: Mrs. Courtright. Mrs. Court-
right further reports that on almost
every trip to Healdsbug she sees a
White-tailed Kite on Stony Point Road,
at Ignacio or south of Santa Rosa.
Another Kite was seen over Larkspur
on Oct. 1 5.

Hermit Thrush, Sept. 28, Alameda,
Junea W. Kelly.

Three White-tailed Kites — Nov. 18
— Castroville — Mr. Charles Bryant and
J. Gordon Irving.

New Members

Miss I. Maclver announces these
new members:

Mr. John A. Keating — 303 1 Balboa
Street, San Francisco.

Mrs. Mary W. Hall— 2606 Shasta
Road, Berkeley.

Miss Phila Helt— 2740 Russell
Street, Berkeley.

Mr. Harold Peterson — Oakland.

Loren Cochrun — San Francisco.

— Junior Member.

The Annual Bird Census

The annual bird census of the San
Francisco area will be held on Sunday,
December 23, 1945.

All members and visitors interested
please contact Mr. H. Leffler, OLympic
0270, or Mr. Arthur Myer, BErkeley
3050.

Conservation of Wild Life

An interesting article appears in the
October, 1945, "California Federation
News” of the California Women’s
Clubs on the above subject. It was
the first article sent to Mrs. Edwin S.
Fuller, State Chairman of Nature
Study and Wild Life, who had asked
her district chairmen to present this
subject from the various locations of
the state. Mrs. Sidney Foy, represent-
ing the San Francisco District, sent
an article which was written by our
own member, Mr. C. A. Harwell. It
describes the Tomales Bay Beaches
Project acquired by Marin County
this past summer, telling about the
many birds to be found there, their
various kinds of habitats, the unusual
tree forms, and the rich sea-life await-
ing further study.

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December

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1945

December Meeting

The 3 39th meeting of the Audubon
Association of the Pacific will take
place on Thursday, December 13, at
7:3 0 P.M. in the Assembly Room of
the San Francisco Library at Larkin
and McAllister Streets, San Francisco.

The speaker is to be Lieutenant
Charles G. Sibley, U. S. N. R., who
has recently returned from the South
Pacific. Mr. Sibley is a graduate stu-
dent at the University of California
and has done work in the Museum of
Vertebrate Zoology. Fie has been in-
terested in bird work for the past
fifteen years and belongs to a number
of bird clubs amongst them the Cooper
Club.

Mr. Silbley’s subject will be "Birds
of the Manila Area” illustrated by
means of slides and bird skins.

December Field Trip

This trip will be taken to Lake
Merritt in Oakland on Sunday, Dec-
ember the 16th. Members and friends
from San Francisco take the "B” train
at the San Francisco Terminal at 9:22
A.M. Get off on Grand Avenue at
Perkins Street and meet the rest of the
party at the Duck Feeding Station
about 10 A.M. East Bay members and
friends transfer to cars No. 12 or No.
18 going out Grand Avenue.

We are to have the annual count
of the water bird population on this
trip.

Bring lunch and binoculars.

Audubon Association of the Pacific

Organized January 25, 1917

For the Study and the Protection of Birds

President

Corresponding Secretary.

Treasurer

Editor

Mr. Arthur H. Myer 25 El Camino Real, Berkeley 5

Mr. Joseph J. Webb 519 California St., San Francisco 4

Miss Ivander Maclver 2414 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley 4

Miss Clelia A. Paroni, 575 Vincente Ave., Berkeley 6

Monthly meetings second Thursday, 7:30 p. m.

Assembly Room, San Francisco Public Library, Larkin and McAllister Sts., 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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