1930

SPECIAL BIRD NUMBER YOSEMITE NATURE :VOTE

Volume IX

JUNE, 190

Number 6 Department of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur Secretary National Park Service Horace M. Albright, Director

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES THE PUBLICATION OP THE YOSEMITE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published monthly Volume IX June 1930. Number.. 6

THE COMMON NESTING 'BIRDS OF YOSEMITE VALLEY

By Enid Michael, Ranger - Naturalist In certain respects the Yosemite in the valley. Of the 60' nesting valley is an ideal place in which to birds 24 are regular summer visitpursue the study of birds. Sheer ants and 17 are resident.birds, Lear cliffs rising 3000 feet completely ing. 19 species to be accounted for wall in the upper end of the valley as irregular and occasional nesting The level valley floor, about a mile birds., wide and six miles long, lying at Besides the above-mentioned the bottom ofr a great gash in the classes there are seven.-.species that granite mountains is isolated to a are to be considered as -regular degree which sets it apart from the winter visitants. No 'Ath 67 of surrounding country beyond the the 146 species accounted for there "rim." In other words, this deep remain 78 to be placed under some pocket is a sort of great outdoor sort of classification. It might be aviary where birds may find condiwell to list the whole. 78 under the tions suitable to various.living retitle of "vagrant" ' species. '. How quirements. The unique feature of ever, there are at least two classes

the situation in the Yosemite, howof vagrants; one class covering the ever, is the fact that a certain respecies. that are more or less regustricted area is actually enclosed lar and another class which covers by high granite walls, and this feathe rare visitors such',as "erratic ture gives the bird student an opwanderers,' lost birds, or "accidentportunity to make an intelligent als which may •drift into the val bird survey of an area restricted to ley, perhaps, not more'than once in

quite definite bounds : Daily bird the, course of 10 years: ' Thirty--spewalks taken on the floor of the valties may,be justly placed ln'this ley covering a period of 10 succes last-mentioned catagory. ' live years have brought to the noIn the following paragraphs the tice of the observer 146 different species of birds. Of the 146 species 24 summer visitants and the 17,res60, species have 'been known to crest, - ident species are to be considered. SUMMER VISITANT,

Chart showing first arrivals of the 24 summer visitants,in :Yosernits valley.

1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1.926 1927 1928 1929 Spotted Sandpiper 5-12 5-12 5-7 4-30 5-1 5-2 4-30 4-24 4-30 Whltethroat Swift 3-24 3-24 3-17 4-16 4-6 2-25 3-1 2-20 4-12 Calliope Hummer.. 4-8 5-9 5-3 3-2 3-24 3-18 4-26 3-3 4-18 Wood Pewee.... 5-9 5-5 5-10 5-5 5-2 5-2 4-28 5-4 5-6 Trail) Flycatcher.. _. 5-19 5-21 5-23 5-17 5-18 5-15 5-20 5-22 5-19 Redwing Blackbird.. 4-23 3-19 3-1 3-18 2-24 3-22 2-25 3-7 2-20 Brewer Blackbird 3-22 3-23 4-9 3-20 3-19 3-13 3-10 3-3 Evening Grosbeak... 4-23 5-3 3-2 5-10 2-3 4-13 3-3 3-7 4-19 Whitecrown Sparrow.. 4-24 4-19 4-19 4-13 4-22 4-24 4-19 Chipping Sparrow 4-23 4-18. 4-13 4-7 4-ll 4-16 4-22 4-25 4-17 Lincoln Sparrow. 5-28 4-ll 4-12 6-2 4-10 5-20 4-30 5-18 Blackhead Grosbeak... 4-23 4-24 4-20 4-18 4-26 4-15 4-21 4-23 4-17 Lazuli Bunting.... 5-30 6-1 5-7 4-18 5-13 5-2 5,20 5-24 5-18 Western Tanager.... 5-5 5-4 4-24 5-1 4-27 4-26 4-26 4-28 4-30 Violet-Green Swallow.. 4-8 3-18 4-12 4-2 3-26 3-22 3-7 3-16 4-ll Warbling Vireo 4-20 4-16 4-23 4-17 4-12 4-14 4-18 4-13 4-17 Casein Vireo.. 4-21 4-13 4-19 4-14 4-12 4-14 4-22 4-17 4-17 Calaveras Warbler.... 4-22 4-28 4-26 4-18 4-20 4-16 4-18 4-21 4-24 Yellow Warbler.. 4-27 4-25 4-28 4-30 4-24 4-16 4-28 4-27 4-30 Blacgtnroated Gray Warbles 4-17 4-24 4-15 4-18 4-6. 4-9 4-13 4-6 4-16 Hermit Warbler 4-22 4-25 4-25 4-25 4-20 4-24 4-22 4-21 Tolmie Warbler 4-23 5-9 4-25 5-4 4-28 4-24 4-28 4-30 5-4 Chart Showing the Last Appearance of Summer Visitants in Yosemite Valley 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 Spotted Sandpiper 9-16 9-2 8-23 8-30 9-5 8-2 9-12 9-17 Whitethroat Swifth 8-30 8-28 8-22 9-19 8-19 10-10 9-16 9-7 Calliope Hummer 9-13 9-6 8-28 9-1f 8-18 10-24 9-24 10-7 Wood Pewee 8-21 9-4 8-28 9-22 9-5 9-1 9-15 9-ll Trail] Flycatcher 8-30 8-22 8-30 9-22 9-1 10-1 9-18 9-4 Redwing Blackbird 8-6 8-4 8-18 8-22 10-8 9-1 9-21 8-19 Brewer B:ackbird ll-6 ll-12 10-25 1)7 9-5 ll-1 ll-1 10-7 Evening Grosbeak 9-18 10-20 10-ll 10-2 9-1 10-ll 10-21 ll-4 Whitecrown Sparrow ll-9 9-23 12-25 ll-10 10-21 ll-13 ll-2 10-30 Chipping Sparrow 9-26 10-3 9-26 10-18 10-25 10-28 10-20 Lincoln Sparrow 10-28 10-29 10-28 9-2 10-25 10-24 10-28 10-17 Blackhead Grosbeak 8-30 9-1 ' 8-30 8-30 9. 1 8-30 8-27 9-16 Lazuli Bunting 8-16 7-30 7-25 8-22 8-5 3-19 7-25 Western Tanager 9-12 9-3 8-30 9-17 9-1 9-6 9-20 9-24 Violet Green Swallow 8-26 9-3.8-10 9-19 8-5 8-3u 8-15 8-15 Warbling Viero 8-25 8-30 9-21 8-18 8-20 9-12, 9-22 Casein. Vireo... 9-22 9-4 9-14 9-4 9-7 9-19 9-18 Calaveras Warbler... 7-9 7-3 9-3 3-3 9-6 9-10 7-2 Yellow Warbler 9-ll 9-3 8-30 9-9. 9-5 10-1 9-1 9-10 Blackthroated Gray Warbler 8-25 8-25 8-13 9-6 6-30 10-1 9-17 10-6 Hermit. Warbler. 7-25 8-8 7-25 8-19 8-7 7-14 6-28 7-22 Tolmte'.Warbler 8-29 9-4 8-29 9-21 9-3 9-6 9-15 9-17 SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis huff and heavily blotched with lilac macularia)--This is the small snipeand rich brown. The young are prelike bird that feeds on the gravel cocious and' like chicks are able to bars along the margin of the river. run about a few hours after breakHe may.be.easily recognized by his ing free from the shell. The young peculiar teetering stride, his clear in case of danger depend for safety whistled,calf-notes, and by his habit on their protective coloration and of flying law over.the surface of the so marked are they that they can river. Often he makes a semi-cirfairly melt into the stones of the cular flight out over the water to gravel bar and disappear before come back to the beach fifty or a one's very eyes. hunder yards from his starting The spotted sandpiper is the only point. representative of the sandpiper The spotted sandpipers nest on tribe to be found in Yosemite Valthe ground. The nest may be a ley. In the Yosemite this sandpiper mere depression in the gravel bar never flocks as do the sandpipers scantily lined with grasses and it is along the ocean beaches, a family often situated in the shade of a group of five or six birds being the weed or clump of beach grass. The eggs, usually four, are very large greatest number ever seen to• for the size of the bird. They are gether.

WHITE-THROATED SWIFT

ered meteors of the upper air lanes iAeronautas melanoleucuni – The They are the birds that race across white-throated swifts are the foath• the h ll a raking the Insects

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTE

from the sky. visitors to Yosemite and white rump patches. They are Valley who notice swifts at all are social, loquatious birds and their likely to think of them as swallows, common chatter is a sort of a highbut really the only way in which pitched titter, not unmusical. they resemble swallows is in their The swifts nest in crannies high feeding habits—both swallows and up on the granite walls and they swifts take their food on the wing. take their baths on the wing in the The swifts have narrow, scimitarmist of the mighty waterfalls. shaped wings and a rapid, twinThe black swift is also found in klieg wing beat. The swallows have Yosemite Valley. It is a larger bird broad wings, a fluttering wing beat and lacks the white markings. In and a more leisurely manner of flight the black swift is not so wideflight. The white-throated swift is a ly erratic and, too, it is a silent bird dark bird with a white shirt front compared with the white-throated.

CALLIOPE HUMMING BIRD

(Stellula calliope) — The calliope humming bird is irregular in its migratory movements. Its arrival in the Yosemite valley is usually coincident with the blooming of the manzanitas, and as this bloom varies from season to season, the calliope's reporting time in the Yosemite may be anywhere between the first week in March and the first week in May. The calliope humming bird is America's smallest avian; a little green-backed fellow with a fiery throat patch that flashes gorgeous in the sunshine. Like most hummers. the calliope loves red flowers. Early in the season he is to he found among the blooming manzanitas, or perhaps there may be a blooming wild gooseberry patch where red bell blossoms attract his attention. Later he is found in the red mimulus gardens, and still later the late blossoming wild fuchsias detain him in the valley. To find a calliope humming bird's nest required some knowledge of the hummers' habits and much patience, or a lot of luck. The calliope is likely to forage quite some distance from her nest, and when she hums homeward with food for the young she dodges through the forest lanes in a most elusive manner. The nest, a tiny little saucer, is likely to be placed high up on a pine bough and beautiiully camouflaged on the outside with bits of bark from the same bough About the only chance to find a nest is to follow the hummer home, and it is not easy to follow a hummer. WESTERN WOOD P E.WEE The male pewees arrive in the (Mylochanes richardsoni richardvalley about a week ahead of the Boni)—The western wood pewee is females They stake a claim to cer one of the two flycatchers that nest tain territory and choose several

commonly in the. Yosemite valley. perches from which they may hunt The other common nesting bird of to good advantage Bare twigs are this tribe is the Trani flycatcher. almost always selected as the perchThe pewee arrives in the valley ing site, and these perching sites during the first week in May—the are often In trees bordering a meaTrail) comes in about two weeks dew. The pewee perches from 10 later. The only other flycatcher to 40 feet above the ground. The that are known to have nested in nest is saddled on a horizontal limb the Yosemite are the olive-sided and is most likely to be from 10 to and the western flycatchers. 20 feet above the ground The nest The pewee is a bird about the is composed of plant down, spider size of a junco; the plumage above web and the inner papery bark of and on the sides is dark brown. The the dead cottonwood. The nest cup, lower breast and belly is whitish, usually placed on a dead limb, is or perhaps yellowish-white. There firmly felted together and is so are no conspicuous markings of any durable that it will last through n sort, no light eyering and no wing hear herd winter

TRAILL FLYCATCHER (Empiof the river. From such a perch donax trailli trailIi)—The.Traill flyhe darts out over the water to snap catcher is slightly smaller?than the in passing insects; "nearly always wood pewee. In 'appea°ztance the returning to the. same perch. Train is similar td the wood pewee, The Traill -flycatcher takes his dark brown above and light below, bath in the big river. He does but the Traill has a light ring this by swooping down and striking around the eye which gives him a the surface of the water with his wide-eyed expression, and also breast. This performance is rethere are two light wing bars to peated several times and then the differentiate him from the pewee. bird takes to a perch to preen. Unless closely viewed, however, The Traill chooses a nest site in these differences are not apparent. a dense thicket and the nest is selAs a general rule the forage lanes dom placed more than six feet of the Traill flycatcher are much above the ground. It is a bulky, lower than these 'of the pewee. The well made affair of grasses and Traill is a bird of the willow and wood stems; the cup is smoothly azalea thickets along the streams, lined with horsehair. The peculiar while the pewee.is partial to taller manner in which the branches of trees, such as oaks and cottonthe azalea diverge from the main woods The Traill often chooses a. stem offers a crotch much to the perching site that commands an unliking of nest-building Traill fly_ obstructed view of placid stretches catchers. RED-WINGED, BLACKBIRD black garb is streaked with gray. (Agelaius phoeniceus) — The redMost everyone knows the redwinged blackbird is a bird somewinged blackbird. They.are showy what smaller than a robin and of birds and besides they voice their more slender build. The males are presence - in no uncertain terms. entirelyblack except for, a showy Their song is simple, but musical. red patch at the bend of the wing. A sort of silvery bray uttered in a This shoulder patch or epaulet vamost cheerful tone of voice. Also riee somewhat•in color. and in eccathey announce their "pr.esence in a sional birds it'is more nearly orclear, whistled call note. Here in ange than red: " The lower margin the Yosemite valley the redwings of the epaulet is fringed with ornest down" among the reeds and anO, and when the male redwing marsh grasses The nest is bulky', is oir''the ground with wings folded but compact and is in a tussock the shoulder patch partly conbut a few inches above the water cealed;' then there "appeal•§ but a of the swamp The nesting rednarrow hand in double color, orirge and reil"' --The female is smallwings in the valley number noecih1v cr ' than' - the maleand her sooty 20 pairs.

w : R BLACKBIRD (EuThe Brewer blackbirds are at all phagus cynocehalus)-:The Brewer times more or less gregarious, and blackbird is slightly smaller; than a if nesting sites are available, 10 or robin and of a mOre slender build a dozen pairs will nest in a single The Male is entirely, black—bluetree. black,tvith a rich sheep to his plumThe Brewer blackbird is the only age.. His one contrasting mark is species of bird that has shown in a whitish eye : 'The female is much the Yosemite valley a noticeable insmaller than,the male, she lacks crease in numbers over a period of the "white" eye and her plumage is 10 years Nesting in trees, they dull black and without the sheen have an advantage over the redNext to the redwing the Brewer is wings. for they are less liable to the first summer visitant to arrive be caught in the crude oil that is in the valley, and like the redwing 'poured into the marsh lands to kill fie is a bird of the open meadows. the mosquitoes. It is really toe While the feeding habits of these bad that some' chemical less harmtwo blackbirds' are similar. their ful to birds is not employed in the nesting habits are quite. different. place of thi s obnoxious credo oil The redwing nests on the ground, the Brewer nests In the mistletoe that claims so many feathered viehrn'whes high up In the oaks, time.

1'OSEl.IITE NATURE NOTES

CALIFORNIA EVENING GROSsings. We have never heard an BEAK (Hesperiphona vespertina musical song. californica)—In size the evening In the Yosemite valley the ev grosbeak is the largest representaping grosbeaks habitually nest hig tive of the sparrow tribe found in —a good 40 feet or more above tI Y osemite valley. He appears alground. The female does all of U. most as large as a robin; a plump work of nest building, but in all hE and handsome fellow with a very foragings for new material she large cone-shaped bill. His body is closely escorted by her mate. H brownish yellow, his wings and tail lends his moral support, as it wer are black and on each black wing and if permitted no doubt acts i there is a large white patch. In an advisory capacity. The yello flight these white patches form pine is the favorite nesting tre conspicuous marks by which the The nest is usually placed on a ho male bird can be recognized for izontal branch, well out from th quite some distance. The top of main trunk, where the needle tuff the head is black, the forehead and begin to appear. and where diver] a stripe over each eye is clear terning branches offer a supportin on yellow. The large, olive-green, platform. The nest site and tl almost parrotlike bill gives the evegeneral appearance of the nest fro] ping grosbeak a striking appearbelow might easily confuse one, fr ante when seen close at hand. the western tanager builds jum The voice of the evening grosbeak such a nest in just such a situatio; is a whistled squeal; at times a sinThe birds of the pair share the 1, gle note, at other times three bor of feeding the young, and the squealing notes are slurred togethunique behavior in this activit er. These notes have a far-carrysets the evening grosbeaks apai ing quality and when once they are from all other birds of the distric learned they are not likely to be Instead of each bird going its se] confused with the notes of any otharate way in search of food, th er bird of the district. In tone grosbeaks hunt as a pair. Alwa3 quality these notes might remind in company they leave the nest, a remind one of the begging notes of ways in company they return. the young black-headed grosbeak. During the spring months th If these squeally notes slurred toevening grosbeaks divide their tim gether constitute the song of the between the treetops, where the evening grosbeak, then these birds feed on nuts, and the ground undf sing every month that they are the pines, where they glean the fa present in the valley. And if these len pine nuts. During the fa squeally notes are not to be so conmonths they feed on wild berrie sidered as the song, then the bird and they are especially fond r.f th never, or at least very rarely, fruit of rhamus californicus.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW

song of the White crown is short, (Zonotrichia leucaphrys) but pleasing and the theme seldom The white-crowned sparrow is the varies. The call note is a short sparrow with the white and black "cheep." crown stripings. The white stripes As nesting birds the white-crowns are pure white and the black are rare in Yosemite Valley : The stripes glossy black. The central fact is that not more than one pair crown stripe is white, bordered by has been found nesting in any one black stripes, then two white season. A few birds, however; may stripes and two black stripes finish be expected to pass through the off the crown markings. The black valley each spring, and the birds is gray streaked with brown. that do pass through the valley are brownest toward the rump and the consistent in their movements. tail i.s brown. The under -surface nearly always making their first is grayish white and is unmarked appearance during the third week by streaks of any sort. The male of April. During the spring of 1926. and female are marked alike, but however, not a single bird was seen immature birds have brown and During the fall months the Yosemgray mown stripes in place of blac'_ : ite is blessed with another visitaenrl white. In size they are close to tion of whitecrowns. These fall the Lnngllsh Sparrow No other birds belong to a different spill r Of the district has such a graphical race; they are Gamble eo•ie Sly marked crown. The whitecrowns and not the Hudson-

YO8EM1TE NATURE 'NOTES

ian° whitecrowns of early spring. valley would seem to indicate that The two white-crowned sparrows the whitecrowns preferably nest on that appear in Yosemite valley, the the ground. They build in the manHudsonian and the Gamble, are ner of a junco. The nests are well very similar in appearance, the only concealed under a cover of dry noticeable difference being a slightgrass, or perhaps, a dry fern frond ly different arrangement of the may offer the desired protection. crown strips. In the Gamble whiteThe whitecrowns are most cautious crown the white stripe over the eye in approaching the nest, but should extends down to the bill, while in the nest be discovered they become the Hudsonian whitecrown this quite bold and vociferous, doing stripe does not extend below the eye. their best to inveigle the intruder Observations in the Yosemite away.

WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW

(Spizella passerina arizonae) The chipping sparrow is the smallest representative of the sparrow tribe found in Yosemite Valley. He is a slender little bird with a gray-streaked back and a soft graywhite under body. He has a brick red crown patch which is bordered on either side by a white stripe which extends over the eyes. Male and female are marked alike. The chipping sparrow feeds on the ground and his favorite nesting site is at the outer end of a pine bough where the needles cluster thickly to hide the nest from below. The nests are placed anywhere from one to twenty feet above the ground. The general construction of the nest is rather loose but the cup is well formed and is always beautifully lined with horsehair. The song of the chipping sparrow is a rapid metallic trill, an insectlike buzz. On account of his peculiar song he is sometimes referred to as "the Iittle alarm clock." His call-note ls a feeble "chip." The chipping sparrow is rather common and is found in all sections of the valley. He prefers, however. an open wood, or the fringe of a wood that borders a meadow. Chipping sparrows are ardent lovers and mated birds do more honeymooning that most kinds of birds. Or, perhaps, they are merely less secretive in their honeymoon affairs.

LINCOLN SPARROW

The Lincoln sparrow is a rare (Melospiza lincoinl) bird in Yosemite Valley, that is to The Lincoln sparrow is a gray say through a period of ten years brown little bird, very much only two nesting pairs per season streaked above and below. In size have been noted. The Lincolns are and appearance he resembles closereclusive birds, they live along willy the common song sparrow, the low-screened ditches and they hide only apparent difference being the their nests well and were it not for• markings of the breast. The Lintheir gay songs they might be eascoln, like the song sparrow, has the ily overlooked. The Lincolns nest black dot in the center of the on the ground, and where. grasses breast, but in place of the bold penoverhang the slope of a ditch is cilings on the breast there is a veil offered a site suitable to their nestof very fine streaks. ing needs. In such a situation they The song of the Lincoln is a rich can follow along the ditch and apbubbling melody remindful of the proach the nest without being seen song of the song sparrow, the callfrom above. The two nesting pairs note, however, is a weak squeak absolutely different from the plainof the valley come back to the same tive note of the true song sparrow location year after year.

PACIFIC BLACK-HEADED

(Zamelodia melanocephala capital's)

GROSBEAK

In the Yosemite Valley the black-

headed grosbeak is one of the most male and female have heavy, conecommon nesting birds. The male in shaped bills. full plumage is among the most The black-headed grosbeaks selhandsome, and as a singer he ranks dom nest so high as 20 feet above with the very best. If practice the ground, occasionally they nest makes perfect, perhaps that is the as low as two feet above the reason the blackheaded grosbeak is ground, but eight feet is near the such a grand songster, for he sings average height. Although nests of all day long during the spring the black-headed. grosbeak have months. been found in eery sort of shrub The black-headed grosbeak is that grows in the valley their nests smaller than a robin, but large for are most likel.y to be found in ina sparrow. The male is gaily cense cedar or ' wild coffee bush, dressed. He has an orange collar The female buildsthe nest, which and a glossy black head. His back is a rather flimsy affair, so loosely Is mostly black, hut it is flecked knit, in fact, that the eggs may in some cases be seen from below. The male takes his turn incubating the eggs, and he has a habit of singing on the nest while incubating.

the knowing one, this habit is often the means of disclosing the nest. While the young remain in the nest, both parent birds bring in food, but when the young leave the nest, the male parent takes full charge of them. The young grosbeaks have insatiable appetites and all day long they follow their daddy about, begging for food in a whining, catlike voice. Day after day he feeds with white markings and there are them, and stuffing food into their white marking at the end of the gullets he wears the feathers from black tail. His under body is mostthe base of his bill, the result.of ly orange, but there is some clear which is a bald-faced appearance. yellow on the lower bellie and at The song of the grosbeak is a the shoulder under the wing. These glorious swirl-of full-rounded melosoft yellow feathers under the wing dious notes. There are upward and he flares out like a plume when atdownward inflections, and bursts dently courting his mate. The feof bubbling trills. And in moments male blackhead is not so gaily of ecstacy there.=is the wild,.Ifeee garbed. There are three gray flight song that goes swinging:up stripes over the crown, the back is ward with the bird to come down

gray, streaked with brown, and the with soft fluttering warbles as the under parts are a sort of brown gray. The immature birds are bird settles. The call-note of'both marked similar to the females. Both male and female is a sharp "white."

LAZULI BUNTING

lazuli buntings in the Yosemite ! Passerina amoena) Valley is perhaps above the seasoilThe lazuli bunting is one of the al average. most exquisitely beautiful summer The lazuli bunting is a member visitants to the Yosemite Valley, of the sparrow tribe, but he is no This thrilling bird, this dainty dartordinary sparrow; not he, for he is ing, comes late to the valley and the blue dandy. And the blue of his leaves early. Some time after the garb is no ordinary blue, but lapis middle of May he makes his aplazuli, the blue of the sky. This pearance and before the end of sparkling, dazzling. sky blue color August he has departed; his stay spreads over head, throat, :and in the valley is all too brief. And rump. His tail is dark and across while the lazuli is more or less his dark wings is a white bar. Dark common in the foothill district of wings and tail, white wing-bars; a the Sierra he is rare enough in the touch of rosy buff across the chest, Yosemite Valley to give a thrill an and blue, blue, blue. What a heavevery meeting. Six nesting pairs of e ly jewel he is! The female and

the young have not even a splash nest, but there are few kinds of of sparkling color. They are dull birds that will leave the nest so brown above, white and huffy besoon on the approach of a suslow. pected enemy. It is almost impossiThe lazuli bunting is a small bird, ble to steal up on a lazuli and catch quite obviously smaller than an her on the nest. English sparrow. No one would expect such a The nest of the lazuli is a rather dandy as the male lazuli to do large affair for such a small bird. much work, and from observations It is loosely, but neatly, woven of in the Yosemite he does very little dry grasses and weed stems. The of the unexpected. The female does inner walls are composed of fine all the work of nest building, also grass stems and the cup is lined she alone incubates the eggs. While loosely with horse-hair. The eggs, the female att-nds to these family usually four, are of pale blue cast. duties the male from his high perch To find the nest of a lazuli is a lends his moral support in song. task to test the skill of the bird He is a persistent singer and when student. The nests are usually in the mood his song is repeated on placed in a brush tangle under a the average of six times to the m ndense cover of foliage and the nestate. When the young come along ing female is a very cautious bird the male will occasionaly condeShe comes to her nest or slips away scend to bring in a fat worm, but in a secretive manner. Many birds that nest low to the ground are this is perhaps a mere gesture if cautious when approaching the fatherly interest.

THE CASSIN AND WARBLING VIREOS

Among the birds that come tc Yosemite valley as summer visit ants are two species of vireos. Thy vireos are small birds, smaller that a junco, gray green above am whitish below, with no conspicuou+ markings of any sort. The cassin has a ring around the eye whici gives him a wide-eyed expression The warbling vireo lacks the whits eye-ring, but has a gray white lin over the eye. The warbling vire< sings a pretty warbling lay whici seems to roll around in a circle it syncopated time. The theme eel dom varies and as the birds are among the most persistent singers. they play a prominent part in the avian chorus of spring. The song of the cassin vireo Is simple, but unique. It consists of four notes given with a rising and falling inflection. Or, perhaps a better description will be two double notes with a pause between. The rising and falling inflections give the song a sort of question and answer effect. To impress the character of the song on his students, Dr. Bryant says, "The cassin seems to say 'Jimmie—Come hero'." Besides the songs, both vireos have a series of scolding, chatter notes, given in a scratchy raucous voice. These scolding notes are most likely to be heard when the vireos are mobbing some jay who has wandered too close to their home tree. The vireos arrive in Yosemits valley about the middle of April Over a number of years the average date of arrival is April 16 for the cassin vireo and April 17 for the warbling vireo. The birds are singing when they arrive and so they are not likely to be overlooked by the observer who looks forward to their coming. The vireos are not common after the middle of July and before the end of September the last bird has gone. The latest date for the cassin is September 19, and the latest for the warbling is September 21. The vireos are insect feeding birds that, do most of their foraging among the leaf sprays of broadleaved trees, and in the Yosemite valley they are especially partial l.o the oaks, both Kellogg and chrysolepis. The vireos are not wonderful singers, neither are they strikingly garbed, but as artists of another sort they rank with the most famous. Nest building is their forte In general the architectural design of the nest varies but little. The

method of construction, the situaport to his hard working mate. action and the form are so consistentcasionally he may consent to bring ly followed by both vireos that the in a bit of material, but most o finished product may be instantly his work during construction is to recognized as the work of a vireo. an advisory capacity. In preparaIn the matter of outside decoration, tion for the actual work of nest there is also a "vireo way" of doing building so much of the forked things; a way which sets the vireo twigs as is to be used to support nest apart from all other nests of the nest is carefully bound round the district. Also in nest building with spider web. This done, a the vireos show a decided prefercable is stretched across the open ence for certain kinds of trees, as space of the fork to complete the the following chart will indicatecircle from which the nest is to be Chart to indicate choice of nesthung. The material' used in the site of cassin and warbling vireos. supporting cable is cotton string, Height above-ground and kind of paper, plant fiber or some other tree: substance of textile strength. The Cassin Vireo cable is thoroughly wound with Thirty-five nests. Kind of tree spider web to give added strength Highest 25 feet Kellogg oak 22 and then the frame is ready to sup-.Lowest 4 feet

Chrysolepis 6 port the swinging basket nest. Average 10 feet Choke cherry 3 Now the vireos bring in stringy. Cottonwood 6 material, plant fiber, spider web, Incense cedar 1 grass blades and bits of string Laurel 1 This material is draped over the Warbling Vireo frame and the loose ends hang Twenty-two nests Kind of tree down in a network like the opeu, Highest 40 feet Kellogg oak 10 net from a basketball hoop. When Lowest 7 feet, Cottonwood 9 the network is sufficiently dense Average 27 feet Apple tree 3 the loose ends are gathered togethOne might expect the cottonwood er at the bottom and fastened In tree to be the choice of the vireos the form of a basket-like net. To because the white appearing nests this network material is added tints' blend so nicely with the white of when finished the felted cradle the underside of the cottonwood would almost hold water. Then leaves However, the aim of these when the nest is lined with horsebirds apparently is to conceal their hair, fine rootlets or perhaps some nests from above as in almost other material of a like nature, it every case they are swung under a is ready to receelve the eggs. protecting canopy of leaves. A few The outside of the -nest is decobrown leaves in this canopy seems rated with bits of lichen, bits of to please them. Seemingly they are paper, white flower petals and not concerned with the chance eneempty spider egg cases. This last my who might look up from the item is the most important in the ground for, as a matter of fact, eyes of the vireos. Both the Casthese white nests are very often sin and the warbling vireos use conspicuous from below. these white, paper-like egg cases to In the matter of selecting a nest a great extent in exterio :' decors site the vireos show a fine discrim• tion. Much. of the exterior decoraination. A fork of a horizontal tion is added after the nest is in. branch well out toward the end use. The Cassin hangs 'these pans where the branchiets are about the gles loosely to the nest; the Nat thickness of a lead pencil is the biing weaves them into the mesh usual situation. A canopy of leaves of the net, and as a result the nest to shade the nest from above is deof the warbling vireo has a much sirable and in this canopy a few smoother. finish. It is the spider, dry leaves often seem to add the egg cases that give the nest its appealing touch that influence the whiteness and make it so conspicuvireo in the selection of the home ous from below. The spider egg site. After the nest-site has been case decorative scheme is the badge chosen the birds search the wood of the house of vireo. for spider web, the first material to When the time arrives to begin be used in construction. incubating the eggs bath the "male' The female does most of the and female vireos are eager for the work; the male bird acts as escort task; they compromise by taking and cheerfully lends his vocal :;upturns on the nest. The bird that

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happens to be.occupying the nest full of hungry birds to feed both always appears, reluctant to leave parentsare kept busy. and :the:,bird awaiting a turn must Evidence would seem to indicate do some coaxing. When the bird on that normally vireos only rear one the.nest consents to give 'up her brood of young a season. The late turn on the eggs she evidently tnnesting birds are probably birds dicates her willingness in some that met with a misadventure in manner for the exchange of places their first attempt, At the close of is made in the flash of an eye.. the nesting season the vireos cease Seemingly; In • one movement,one to sing, the family groups scatter bird slips off from the nest and and although stray birds are fre another on. quently seen the vireos no longer When the young birds arrive there is no longer competition• for have a prominent part in the landthe care of the nest, for with a nest scape.

WESTERN TANAGER

tPiranga ludovioiana) The Western tanager is generally considered as the most beautiful bird found in the Yosemite Valley, and there is reason why he should be so considered for he is, indeed, a handsome bird. The male tanager hag a brilliant red head, a golden body; black wings and tail. When he first arrives in spring he is immaculate, with each feather lying perfectly l"n place. The female has a lemon green body, darker above than below. These tanagers are noticeably smaller than a robin, but much larger than any of the warblers. Tanagers are., found in all sectionsof the valley. ` :About the public campa'they become quite tame and -often they Will drop out of the pisses to share food with the friendly -camper. They are passionately fond df.btitter and:-it is riot unusual Poi. 'a bold' individual to come "into a table where people :are eating to take a' dab _of his favorite dessert. Such 'a show of confidence on the part of the gaily garbed tanager makes a lasting impression on most any camper so honored. The tanagers are poor nest build era The nests are placed at an average height of 35 feet above the ground, usually in conifers. The nest is loosely knit of twigs, rootlets and dry grasses, and it is set dom securely bound to the branch on which it rests. The female does all the work of nest building and incubating, but when the young come to the nest the male does his full share in keeping their appetites satisfied. The songs of the robin, the black-headed grosbeak and the Western tanager are confusing to the untrained ear. Of these three the grosbeak is by far the most finished artist. In moments. of ea aitation the grosbeak, at least some individuals, are ' not surpassed in song by any bird of the West. And always the grosbeak's song has a cheerful, carefree. swing. In mournful, deliberate notes. the robin. chants a dirge. The tanager's sung is more of a war chant. The theme is rather set, but is carired with a martial air like the beating of war drums for the march. The br-reap.. br-up, br-up of his call-note is car ried through the theme and one who knows this call-note can distinguish the tanager's song flora the song of either robin or grosbeak. The Western tanager is not usually classed as a fine singer, but surely his song is as arresting as a 1 shin's NORTHERN VIOLETthan the Sierra junco, but in flight

GREEN SWALLOW

he appears larger because of his ('t' tebycine athalassina lepida) long and pointed wings. When The violet-green swallow is really perched on a telephone wire, a small bird; 'less in bodily bulk which, by the, way, is his favorite '

perch, his wings are seen to extend well beyond his tail, In general appearance the violet-green is distinctly a bird of two colors. The under surface of his body is pure white—a pure silky white with a sheen like the floss of a milkweed pod. The upper surface of the body is a glorified green, with glints of violet flashing in certain lights. On the wing this swallow appears to have a white collar and a white band over the rump. Sweetly plaintive notes uttered in twittering conversation appraise one of swallows on the wing. No bird in the summer skies is more exquisitely garbed than the violet-green swallow. No bird in the summer skies better exemplifies the poetry of motion. The violet green swallow is one of the rarer nesting birds of Yosemite Valley. It would be safe to say that there were never more than four nesting pairs in the valley during any one season, and there were seasons during the last ten years when not a nesting pair was noted. In the valley the few birds that have nested, have always selected old woodpecker holes as the nesting site. Apparently the violet-green swallows are social in their inclinations for whenever possible they nest in close proximity to one another. One season there nested in a certain dead cottonwood in the Leidig meadows two pairs of violet-green swallows and a pair of sparrow hawks. The hawks had the upper apartment, the deserted nest-hole of a pair of red-shafted flickers. The swallows were lower down, in the deserted nest-holes of the hairy woodpeckers. Farther down the valley, for several seasons an old pine stump furnished nesting sites for three pairs of violet-green swallows. And this same stump, by the way, harbored the only nesting violet-greens during these several seasons. One year a pair of whiteheaded woodpeckers drilled a nesthole and successfully reared a family in this same "swallow tree." Swallows and woodpeckers get along without the least argument. One morning we happened to be in the Leidig meadow when a pair of violet-green swallows were lining their nest. The male bird came with a feather in his bill and disappeared into the nest-hole. He reappeared in a moment and flew off over the meadow. No sooner had he gone than the female appeared with a feather in her bill and dived into the nest-hole. When she left the nest she circled and zig-zagged across the meadow. We could follow her with out eyes She soon turned, and back she came with another feather.---Furth r observations verified the fact that the swallows were actually taking the feathers on the wing, but from where came the feathers that the swallows were plucking from the air we did not learn. While but a few pairs of violet-greens actually nest on the floor of Yosemite Valley there are occasionally seen bands of from 10 to 20 birds skimming low over the meadows. These low-flying swallows are usually seen after a thunder shower-has swept the upper'atmosphere free from winged insects. At other times a mixed flock white-throated swifts and violetgreen swallows are to be seen circling close to the summit of a tall pine feeding on insects that pour forth in a migratory flight. Under such circumstances the differences between swift and swallow becomes at once apparent. The swift's long pointed wings are narrow from tip to base and in outline against the sky the wings form a perfect scimi tar. In other words, looking up from below, the silhouette of the swift takes the firm of a cross-bow. And, too, the swift flies with the speed of a bullet, leaping and diving through unbelievable evolutions. As the swift twists and turns, his twinkling wings beat alternately; thus enhancing the effect of hi g wild, bewildering flight. The pointed wings of the swallow are broad at the base, the wing

curve is not perfect, the outline against the sky is quite different Compared to the swift, the flight of the swallow is leisurely. It is a graceful, buoyant flight with moments of leisurely sailing.

CALAVERAS WARBLER

in the Yosemite Valley. Each of the (Vermivora Ruficapilla Gutturalls) different species has different forIn general coloration the Calaaging areas and different tastes in veras warbler is yellow—clear yetvegetational associations. The Calalow below, greenish yellow above. veras warblers show a decided prefA blue gray cap extends over the erence for the maples and Kellogg crown and down the back of the oaks. They do not, however, follow neck The throat is clear yellow the oaks out onto the level valley and there are no markings whatfloor, but stick to the forest covered ever of either black or white. The talue slopes at the base of the female is similar to the male, but walls. When they first arrive in the.colors are somewhat modified. spring they spend their days among Like all the common warblers of the freshly leafing oaks on the the Yosemite the Calaveras warblers warm north side of the valley. Later are small birds, trimly built and in the season when the sun climbs actively alert in their feeding habits. higher and the days grow warm And from their general feeding many of these birds move across habits it is safe to assume that they the valley into the shadow of the feed almost entirely on insect life. great south wall to take up their During the spring and summer months six different species of stations for the nesting season warblers are to be found commonly among their beloved ma ples. California Yellow Warbler such a cup and lashed to the five (Dendroica Aestiva Brewsterl) stems is certainly secure against In the Yosemite Valley the Caliany ordinary wind. A dense canopy fornia yellow warbler is the most of leaves overhead offers shade, common nesting warbler. He is a concealment and a limited amount trim bird and small, half the size of of shelter from rain. a canary, greenish yellow above, The yellow warblers are wonderclear yellow beneath, with fine redful nest builders. The frame of the dish streaks on the breast which nest is formed of fibers and grasses can only be discerned at close range. and in the process of construction As he flits about in the willows it the frame is securely bound to the will be seen that he well deserves supporting branches. Silk fibers his common name, "summer yellow from the dry stems of the apocybird. In markings the female and the num are sometimes used to bind the young are similar. They have less frame together and in such a ease of the golden brilliance of the males the nest is very beautiful, with a and the reddish streakings on the lustrous, silvery sheen. This beaubreaet are lacking. tiful cup is lined with down from The yellow warblers are to be willow catkins and by whirling in looked for in the willows and in the nest as they line it, the birds the azalea thickets along the smooth the cotton into a perfect streams. As a rule, they forage in felt. Actually, the nest is so well low bushes and in willows, but ocmade and so well felted that it will casionally they climb high in the hold water like a tin cup. cottonwoods. While the willows As a rule, the yellow warblers present the favorite hunting are easily frightened from their grounds, the azaleas offer the choice nests. They do not sit close, as do nesting sites. The azaleas branch some other kinds of small birds— in such manner as to present an hummingbirds and vireos, for in ideal crotch in which to place a stance. When the nest of a yellow nest. Often five branches diverge warbler is approached, the broodat the same point, like fingers from ing bird will slip quietly through a cupped hand, A nest set down in the bushes to bob up some distance

away, where it will utter shrill our warblers, the yellow is the most cheeps of protest while the intruder persistent singer. After the nestremains in the vicinity of the nest. ing season the other warblers beThe song of the yellow warbler come silent, but not so the yellow is a series of exceedingly highwarbler. He is singing when he pitched, shrill notes. These song arrives, he sings through the matnotes are uttered with great rapidity, as though the bird was in a ing season, and he is singing when hurry to get the son¢ out. Of all he departs. Black-Throated Gray Warbler The only nest of the black (Denroica nigrescens) throated gray warbler to come un The black-throated gray warbler der my observation was placed it is among the first summer visitants a ceanothus bush about five fee to arrive in Yosemite Valley. This above ground. At the time of dis warbler is distinctly a black and covery it was full of young birds white bird and it is set apart from The mother bird was very mucl all other common warblers of Yoconcerned with my presence are semite in having no conspicuous to relieve her anxiety I retire( yellow markings in its color without giving the nest mutt scheme. Its bead, neck and throat study. I did observe, however, tha' are mostly black, but there is a it was a neat, cup-shaped affair clear-cut white line over the eye constructed of dry plant fibers ant and another from the bill running lined with feathers. down the side of the throat. The In the fall of the year, with theii upper surface is a dark bluish family cares over, the black gray. The under surface is white, throats may leave the shelter ant except for beautiful pencilings protection of the Chrysolepis oak: along the side of the breast. The and wander out onto the level val margined tail flashes white when ley floor in search of adventure the bird is in flight. The females At this time of year they may b( and the young birds are similarly seen in the Kellogg oaks, or ever marked but the white and black in the willows that margin the markings are not so clear-cut. stream. On their rambles out int.( In the Yosemite Valley the blackthe valley they are likely to fall it throated gray warbler has its own with other kinds of warblers or particular habitat. It is a bird of perhaps, they may join company the Chrysolepis oaks and is to be with a band of wandering Chicka found on the oak-covered talus deer. On October 1, 1926, we cam. slopes on both sides of the valley upon just such a band of strag In its particular habitat it has litgling summer birds. Included it tle or no competition in its search this company were two black for insect food. The only other throated gray warblers, three yel warbler likely to be found in the low warblers, a house wren, and s neighborhood of the blackthroat is yellowthroat. This was a late rec the Calaveras, and this warbler conord for all three of the warbler( fines most of its foraging to other and no doubt they were the last broad-leafed trees that happen to few stragglers of the warbler tribe mingle with the golden-cupped on their way out of the Yosemite oaks, bound for their winter home. Tolmie Warbler clearly seen when the bird is.close (Oporonis Tolmiei) to hand. Like the other nesting warblers In the Yosemite valley the tolmie of the Yosemite Valley, the Tolmie warbler is most likely to be found warbler is a small bird—a bird in the cool woods where an undersomewhat smaller than a junco. growth of eagle ferns and azeleas The tolmie wears a blue gray cowl offer favorable cover and feeding which comes neatly down over the grounds. The forage lanes of the breast and shoulders in the fashtolmie lead through the low growion of the black cowl worn by the ing bushes, and therefore these Sierra junco. The upper surface, birds are seldom found foraging at back, wings and tail is a sort of elevations greater than ten feet dull olive green. The belly is ('ear above the ground. The male birds yellow. White eyelids may be do, however, go higher to sing. !3

About the homesite the male selects to twenty inches above the ground. two or three favored singing Here in the valley it has been noted perches where before the young that the tolmie warbler shows a come along he may be found singpreference for thorny bushes in seing day after day. The song conletting a nest site, and as a consesists of a series of three, or four, quence the wild gooseberry is a of five clear notes distinctly spaced favored shrub: The normal cornbut running along on an even pitch plement of eggs is apparently four, to be followed usually by three but occasional nests are found with rapidlyuttered single notes with but two or three eggs. The eggs which the song ends abruptly. are creamy white, splotched with As will be noted by the chart, the brown around the large end. Nests tolmie is the last of the nest warbare built of bark fibers, grasses, Iers to arrive in the valley. The soft weed stems, and they psually males arrive first, and year after contain a lining of horsehair. year they may be found at the cer Tolmies are not particularly nutain tolmie haunts at scattered merous in Yosemite valley, but owpoints about the valley. A week or ing to their habit of returning year ten days after the males arrive, the after year to certain localitie'-, they females put in their appearance at are always to be found during the the appointed place. summer months by those who know ToImie warblers occasionally nest their habits. Oddly enough the do the ground in the manneof the number of nesting pairs in the vatjunco, usually, though, the nest is ley remain almost constant placed at an elevation of from ten through the years.

THE RUSSET-BACKED THRUSH AND THE HERMIT THRUSH

There are two species of thrui het that in former years were more or less common nesting birds in th Yosemite valley. The russet-oacked thrush (Hylocichla ustulata usta. lata) was the more common of the two, but there were always a fea nesting pairs of Sierra hermit thrushes to be found in tine evil') woods along the base of the south wall of the valley. During the last three seasons both of these thrushes have bet:A rare on the floor of the valley and apparently they are becoming more rare. During the spring of 1929 there were scattered pairs of russetbacks present, but not a single nesting pair of, hermit thrushes came to our notic. The russet-backed thrush appears to be about half the size of the robin. It it built along the general lines of the robin, but is more slender, more graceful, and with longer legs in proportion to its body. The russetback is a brown bird with a light buffy breast which is marked by scattered triangular spots of dark brown. The eye is circled by a narrow ring which gives the bird an Innocent, wide-eyed expression. The hermit thrush is somewhat smaller than the russetback and seemingly of a plumper build. The general markings are similar, except thet the hermit thrush has a redder tail, and this reddish tail contrasts with the olive brown of the back. The russetback'stail---is also reddish but it blends into the color of the back rather -than contrasts While the russet-backed and the hermit thrushes are similar in appearance there are, fortunately, other features which help to differentiate one from the other. One of the best field marks by which to separate these birds is the twitching habit peculiar to the hermit thrush. Every few seconds the perched hermit thrush will convulsively twitch its wings and apt :it

its tail. The russetback; will fleck side of the nest, and the thrushes, its wings in the manner of a robin like the robin, use a mud casing. when it first alights on a perch, but Fine rootlets, pine needles and bark this movement appears to be defiber is used for a lining. Often a liberate rather than spasmodic and ribbon of paper or cloth is hung to it is not.reiterated in the manner of the outside of the nest. the hermit. Also the songs of these As compared to other,simmer two thrushes are distinctly differvisitants to the Yosemite vailcy, eat. The voicequality is similar, the thrushes are among the last to also the theme has points in cornappear on the summer nesting men, but the rendition is entirely grounds. The following chart show+ different. The russetback's song first arrivals in the valley ever a starts low and spirals upward period of nine years: through a swirl of continuous r_otec-. Russetback thrush-5-12, 5-7, 5-9, The hermit's song makes a similar 5-15, 5-6, 5-16, 5-13, 6-1, 5-12. upward swirl but the climb from Hermit thrush-5-2, 5-1, 5-2, 5-2.. low to high notes Is made In three 5-2, 5-1; 5-ll, 6-8, 5-26. flights. In other words, in the herThese nesting thrushes leave the mit's song the continuity of the upvalley somewhere toward the end ward swirl of notes is broken by of August. No acurate record can two distinct pauses; pauses that be given of last appearance of these represent silent notes for the song nesting thrushes in the valley for leaps into a, higher swirl after each thesituation becomes obscure. and pause. complicated by the arrival in the Both thrushes place their nests in fall of' more northern nesting birds low bushes and in the Yosemite the that pass through the valley on azalea and the syringa are favored their way south for the winter. For shrubs. The nests are well built example,. the AIaska hermit thrush and rather bulky for the size of the birds. Dry. fern fronds, oak leaves is likely to be seen any time during and oak tassels decorate the outthe winter months.

PERMANENT RESIDENTS

GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrymonths it is not unusual to see an metes). Eagles are not common eagle sailing to or from a point bebirds in the Yosemite district low the Glacier Point Hotel.: About There are never more than cxie or every third winter is pair of ' angles two pairs. about. the valley. They may be seen flying about the valley, are seen most often during the followed by one or two •elping" ter months when they come to..he youngsters. Young golden eagles floor of the valley in search of food: are readily distinguished from their A pair of these birds undou atedly parents by the white markings to nests high up on the cliffs in the neighborhood of Glacier Point, for be seen on the under side of the duringthe spring and summer wings as they sail overhead. The little pigmy owl (Giaucidtuin and silent. This owl is a killer who gnoma californicum) is a tiny fe%- strikes without warning; violence low, not much larger than the Engand sudden death' are the very eslish sparrow. Its head is round and sence of its existence. without ear tufts. The yellow eyes It is an owl strictly diurnal in have a wise and friendly look. Its his feeding habits. posture when perched, is rather In the. Yosemite the nest,'ng site erect and the tail appears very of the pigmy owl-. Is. most often s short. The white breast is marked deserted 'woodpecker hole and the with clear, black pencilings, and its deserted hole of the Cal ifornia brownish gray back is checkered woodpecker seems to suit their with small white dots. In night t nesting needs to a nicety. The femight remind one of a shrike, for male does the incubating, the untie it has the same twinkling wire,-' does the hunting-and brings In the beat. Ti. is fearless, fast of wing food. -

WESTERN BELTED KINGFISHER (Ceryle alcyon caurina). Three nesting pairs is about the average number of kingfishers tot the valley. Each pair claims a stretch of about two miles 'of ' liver which is patrolled consistently. Dun ing the months of June and. i ely kingfishers are commonly Been along the river, but for some unknown reason, as the years To by, there is no increase in the number of nesting pairs. During the winter months the mated kingfishers separate; that is, they do not hunt together. The patrol is divided and each bird stays pretty close to its own mile of water. When spring rolls around again the kingfishers resume their old relations, they taillick together in happy flight dan' es. they fish together along the old two miles of river, and they take turns excavating and renovating the old hnrr•nw in fho hnnlr MODOC HAIRY WOODPECKER hers have been fairly constant. in (Dryobates villosus orius,. Hairy winter and in summer this biro is woodpeckers are never numerous on most likely to be found in the cct the floor of the valley. If one were tonwood groves. The hairy woodlooking for hairy woodpeckers one pecker most often drills his nestcould likely locate four birds on a hole in cottonwood or. willow, bat a four-mile walk. However, the hairy telephone pole will do in a :>inch. is always with us, and when iinsid The average height above the ering his status over a period of ground of his nest-hale is nerrrars eight years we find that his nnrnten feet. WILLOW DOWNY WOODless than ten feet above the ground

PECKER.

(Dryobates pubeseens During the summer months the turat!): When considered over the willow woodpecker is most likely to eight-year period, the willow woodbe found in the cottonwood groves pecker population of the valley is and willow thickets along the river; perhaps slightly less than the later they take their families into "hairy" population. Also the "wilthe apple orchards, then, in the winlow" population is not so constant ter months, they are often found in as there is some slight fluctuation the oaks along the warm north side in numbers from month to month of the valley. Except during the and year to year. In normal years nesting season the willow woodthe nesting population of willow peckers do not stay put, as it were woodpeckers in' the valley is probThat is, they have no particular ably about six pairs. As a rule the haunt where they may be found willow nests much higher than the day after day, as is the case with hairy woodpecker. Usually the many kinds of birds. The willow nest-hole is drilled in a dead limb stays in the valley, but he likes to of a living tree some thirty or forty feet above the ground. Out of ramble about and is here today and twenty nests noted only one was somewhere else tomorrow. WHITE-HEADED WOODPECK there were four nesting pairs and ER (Xenopicus albolarvatus albothis. year 1192R) five nesting pairs larvatus) — Observations indicate were present in, the valley. The that there has been a steady inwhite-heads nest. much lower than crease of white-headed. woodpeckers do any of our resident woodpeckers on the floor of the valley. During Nine times out of ten they drill the seasons of. 1920.and 1921 only their nest-holes less than ten feet one nesting `pair of white-heads above the ground : in one case the came to our attention. In 1927 nest-hole was lc :. than two feet

above the ground. The only nest that came to the observer's attention that was more than ten feet above the ground was drilled in a cedar pole that supported the diving platform at the lodge swimming pool, and this nest was less than six feet above the platform. During the summer months the true haunt of the white-headed woodpecker is beyond the rim of the valley. Some of these birds drop down into the valley to winter and consequently there is an apparent increase in the white-head population on the floor of the valley during the winter months. As a matter of fact there have been months during the winter when the white-head was our most common woodpecker. Next to the California, the white-head is probably the most loquacious woodpecker.

NORTHERN PILEATED

WOODPECKER (Pholeotomus pileatus abeiticola)—The status of the pileated woodpecker on the floor of the valley during the last eight years is simple. For three years there was a single nesting pair. In those first three years during the summer and fall months the family group was occasionally seen, but the young birds always disappeared and there was no increase of pileated woodpeckers beyond the original pair. Then the female of the pair came to an untimely end and the old cock was left to pursue his lonely way. For the last five years this lonesome old widower has been the sole representative of his tribe on the floor of Yosemite Valley. His patrol covers a beat of about six miles and one may chance upon him in almost any section of the valley. The call-note of the pileated woodpecker is a series of loud, lowpitched "kuk" "kuk" "kuks," remindful of one of the calls of the flicker. Most often one's attention is attracted to the bird by this call, but occasionally it is the loud thumpings that ring through the wood, as the pileated works on some dead wood, that leads the bird student into his majestic presence.

THE RED-SHAFTED FLICKER

lag bands have temporarily inRed-shafted flicker (Coiaptes creased the flicker population of eater collaris). The red-shafted the valley, but, as a rule, when conflicker is a common bird, but never sidered through the years, the numerous; probably there are a status of the flicker remains undozen nesting pairs on the floor of changed. the valley Unlike the California In the Yosemite valley the flicker woodpecker. there is no noticeable nests rather well up above the increase in numbers during the ground. The height of the nest-site spring and summer months. There would probably average twenty have been seasons in the past in feet. As with the hairy woodpeckthe late fall months when wanderer, his favorite nesting tree is the

cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa). Each year the flicker carves out a

CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER

(Helanerpes formicivorous bairdi) —The California woodpecker is the bird that stores acorns for his winter food supply, and during the winter months he depends almost entirely on these stores to supply his daily bread. This being the case. providing the harvest has been sufficient, he is quite independent During the eight-year period, how. ever, there came one season when the acorn crop of both Chrysolepis and Kellogg oaks was an absolute failure and then the California woodpeckers were forced to leave the valley to seek sustenance elsewhere. In spite of their food-storing habits, however, there is a distinct migratory movement among the California woodpeckers, for the truly resident birds number sheet twelve, while during six months of the year the population amounts, to four times this number This woodpecker drills his nest-hole from twenty to forty feet above the ground, usually into the dead limb, of an oak. The nest-hole is a caps,- holes are used the year around as

cious affair built to accommodate sleeping quarters, and as shelter s a number of birds as there is often against the weather during periods a plurality of husbands. The nestof heavy storm. Sierra Junco (Junco oreganus thurberi)—There is some question as to wheather the junco is a truly resident bird It is a fact that the Sierra junco is more or less common on the floor of the valley the year around. During spring and summer pairs or family groups are to be found in almost any section of the valley. Toward the end of summer the juncos begin to congregate in floeks and perhaps postnestng ramblings may take many of these birds into the higher secdone surrounding the valley Then stormy weather drives them down out cf the higher mountains. When winter is on in earnest the flocks new home. Old flicker holes furnish nesting sites for sparrow hawk, saw-whet owl, and the flying squirrel. Lewis woodpeckers that occasionally winter in the Yosemite use the old flicker holes for sleeping quarters. The flicker is an omnivorous feeder and he is our one woodpecker that habitually forages on the ground However, when frightened from the ground he seldom flies far before coming to perch on some tree trunk in true woodpecker fashion.

of juncos remaining in the valley that.they were not valley bred are concentrated about the warm birds. The fact that with the winpacket at the mouth of Indian canter flocks of Sierra juncos are alyon. But, the question is: Are any ways a few slate-colored juncos of these juncos valley bred birds? would further strengthen the belief The valley bred birds used to the that the winter birds are migrants crowds of summer campers become from more northern districts. Next quite tame and boldly seek crumbs to the blue-fronted jay, the Sierra from man's table. The winter birds junco is the first bird to be heard when they first gather about the in song. Most any sunny morning mouth of Indian canyon are shy and not easily approached, a condiafter the first of the year, the song tion which would seem to indicate of the junco may be heard. Blue-Fronted Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis)—Taking the year around, the blue-fronted jay is one of the most common birds of the valley. The jay population of the valley varies greatly through the year, but even in most unfavorable seasons, always a few manage to winter through. During the months of May and June the jays are most numerous for then the young of the season have brought about the natural increase. As the warm days of July approach many family groups of jays climb higher, seeking the cool forests beyond the rim of the valley. During the fall months there is again a large jay population when the birds from above come back to the valley to take their share of the acorn crop. In seasons of a bounteous acorn crop there is likely to be a larger number of jays stay through the winter. The jays store no acorns for themselves, but they do claim a certain share of the acorns stored by the California woodpeckers. In seasons of plenty the woodpeckers seemingly do not begrudge the jays a certain share of their stores. The woodpecker likely realizes the advantage of having the jay as an associate, for the jay is quick to come to the aid of the woodpecker in case the acorn store is threatened by squirrel or other marauder Also the jay acts as a buffer between the Cooper hawk and the woodpecker. Nine times out of ten the jay proves the victom of this "killer hawk." Given a free choice, the killer hawk would always select the jay as his possible victim, but in case there were no jays to be had he would then try to capture a woodpecker. Often then, the jay pays with his life for his share of n the stored acorns. WATER OUZEL (Cinclus mexiing the cold winter months when canus unicolor)—The water ouzel is the margins of the river are crusted distinctly a resident species. In over with ice the ouzels are forced the area under consideration, that to do their fishing in the deeper is the upper end of the valley, from water of the open river, where they the swinging bridge below the lodge swim about and dive with. the proto Happy Isles and Mirror lake, ficiency of the most expert of the there are usually four pairs. When diving ducks. the water is low in the Merced, Occasionally where ice has from August until the following bridged the river they will dive, March, the ouzels are likely to be swim several yards down stream, found along the main river. They and come up to the surface below feed along the shore and in the the ice-bridge. When spring brings shallow riffles, turning over stones floods to the main river the ouzel and leaves in search of food Dur• pairs move onto the foaming side

streams, most likely renovate their birds. There is something wild and nests of other years, and prepare free about his rich rolling notes and for the nesting campaign. One pair his enchanting trills that tunes one nests in a niche of a spray-splashed in on the spirit of the out-of-doors fallen log near the base of lower The very lilt and swing of his song Yosemite Fall. Two nests are plasseems to fit so well with his wild tered to mossy boulders along free life among the boulders and Tenaya creek below Mirror lake, dashing spray. And strangely and a fourth pair of ouzels have a enough his notes ride free and clear nest-site where the river leaps above the tumult of roaring waters madly among the boulders above It is, however, in the dead of winter Happy Isles. For several years a when the ouzel's song may be heard pair nested on a beam under the to best advantage. Perched on an Clark bridge, but recent improveice-capped boulder, the icy waters ments have made this site unavai]- reflecting the image of his plump able. figure, the ouzel pours forth his soul As a singer the ouzel ranks high. in song. Fortunate, indeed, is he and by some he is considered the who is privileged to know the ouzel most glorious singer of all Yosemite in his winter haunts. SACRAMENTO SPURRED travel into the higher mountains. TOWHEE (Pipilo maculatus falciWhen winter comes on and snow nellus)—There is a noticeable micovers the ground at the higher gratory movement among the levels there is a down-mountain spurred towhees for these birds are movement which takes most of the more numerous on the floor of the towhees to elevations below the 1evvalley during the nesting season els of any considerable snowfall than at any other time of year. Nevertheless a certain few individuAfter the nesting worries are over als are likely to spend the winter in for the year many of the towhees the valley." With the few individutake a late summer vacation and als who remain in the valley through the winter there is a crossvalley movement. Birds that have spent the summer in the cool thickets along the south side of the valley move ontd' the warm alluvial fan that spreads out at the mouth of Indian canyon to spend the winter. It is probably a question of food supply rather than a question of temperature that sends the birds to the mirth side of the valley, for towhees will remain on the south side of the river so long as there is open ground. During periods of storm, and afterward when snow may lie a foot deep on the valley floor, the towhees find food and shelter under the thick matted ceanothus bushes about their winter haunt. By staying on the south side of the valley until after the first heavy snowfall the store of ccanothus seeds lying under the bushes on the north side is reserved until time of need.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH

much given to wandering, and day (Sitta canadensis) after day they are likely to be found The red-breasted nuthatcd popuin their chosen locality. They do lation in Yosemite valley remains not really sing, but they are loquaalmost constant through the seachins little fellows, and their tootson. This population is small, howing call notes, like the sounding of ever, and at no time are there more a tiny Christmas horn, may be than a dozen pairs present on the heard most any time of day. h floor of the valley. They are not mile, the red-breasted nuthatch

feeds rather high in the trees, and, confining his foraging during most of the year to trunk and main branches, he is more likely to be heard than seen. Through most of the year the red-breasted nuthatch is an insect feeder, and he gleans his living from the crannies in the bark. Being able, as he is, to move with ease up or down tree trunks or along the underside of limbs, he has an advantage over the woodpeckers and creepers that forage more or less over the same territory. Going head first down the tree trunks, he is likely to spy insects or larvae that were overlooked by the up-treading woodpeckers and creepers. In the fall of the year, when pine nuts ripen, he has another source of food supply, and then he may be seen in the needle tufts plucking nuts from the open cones. To get at the meat, the nut is wedged in a convenient crack in the bark, and then, with a few strokes of his strong, sharp bill, the nuthatch cracks the shell. For future reference, some nuts are stored away in cracks in the bark. The red-breast stores much in the manner of the blue-fronted jay, but he does not take the jay's precaution of hiding his treasure with a bit of bark, And, while the jay stores but one prize in a niche, the nuthatch may poke many nuts into the same crack. Perhaps the nuthatch does not need to be so cautious as the jay. for during the winter he can almost always pick e e pine nuts that have fallen to the ground. In the fashion of the woodpeckers, the nuthatch drills his own nest-hole. And like the woodpecker, both birds of the pair take turns at the work of drilling. Nuthatches that we had under observation started the work of drilling on the 13th day of April. They chose dead stub of cottonwood. The cottonwood stood on the bank of the river, and the nest-hole was located twenty feet above the ground. After working industriously for a week, the cavity was several inches deep and the birds could quite disappear in Its depths. Even so, we could always tell when a bird was at work, for at frequent intervals a shower of tiny chips would come fluttering to the ground. About the time the birds began drilling the nest-hole, the female developed a coquettish disposition and was often seen flirting with the male. When in a particularly loving mood, the female would fluff out her feathers, raise her tail, and utter a rapidly vibrating rachet note. When in this highly excited state, the female was anything but an attractive bird. Disheveled, with every feather standing on end, she fluttered before her mate, trying to arouse in him the mating instinct. It took time, but, of course, she was successful, and on April 20 the male capitulated and embraced his mate. Now they were on their honeymoon, work ceased in the cot tonwood tree, and there were to be a few brief days of leisure before the enslavement of family car ps were upon them. The playful days of the honey moon came soon to an end. The nest-hole was complete, but it had still to be furnished The nest was to 'be lined with, feathers, and on Ioay 1 the female nuthatch raided n robin's net to procure the material While the robin was away, the nut hatch stole the feathers, and, while she was tearing loose feathers from the nest, the. male perched close by and lent his moral support. Thbirds worked iet-emittentiv for per haps a week, the female spending more and more time in the nes* and then in, Mav 12 she settled to her task of no " the r" On the evening of May 19 the male nuthatch took upon himself new task. Fifteen feet away from the nest-hole was a bruised pine tree with pitch oozing from a fresn wound. In ten minutes' time the nuthatch made seven round tripe between the pine and his nest-hole Each trip to the pine he would take a globe of pitch on his bill, fly to the cottonwood, and spread it about the entrance to the nesting cavity. Each time after smearing the pitch he would carefully wipe

his bill on a branch. The male cautionary measure to safeguard worked hard at his sticky task, and the young against vermin. Until when finished, he had an almost the time that the young are strong complete ring of pitch an inch wide enough to come to the entrance, the bordering the entrance to his home; parent birds dive directly into the the circle was broken only at the nest without touching the sides lower edge of the nest-hole by a When the young begin to poke their narrow, patch quite free from pitch. heads out of the nest-hole to greet From observations, it would seem the parents, then the parent bird that this habit of circling the nest clings to the pitch-free spot where hole with pitch is a common prat the circle is broken, and the young tice with the red-breasted nuthatches. Very likely the smearing bird that happens to be at the enof pitch about the nest-hole is a pretrance gets the food. Short-Tailed Mountain Chickadee The chickadee (Penthestes gambell abbreviatus) is a small bird, a bird about half the bulk of an English sparrow. It wears a black ce.p and a black bib under its chin. Its cheeks are white, and there is a short white stripe above the eye The back is blue-gray and under parts are light gray, almost white The chickadee is active and alert; and when searching the leaf clusters and needle tufts for food, it is apparently just as much at ease hanging head down as in any other position. The chickadee is a well-known bird, for in one form or another it ranges clear across the continent Well known as it is, however, its is probably better known for its call than for its appearance. The common call-note, uttered in a harsh, stringy voice, seems to say: "Chicka-dee-dee." The song is a lovely, clear, whistled musical phrase of three syllables. Often visitors to the 'i r; e:rl'te :isl: "What b'i'd is it that says, 'Oh, dear me'." Oddly enough, the simple little song of the mountain chickadee seems to catch the human ear more often than any other song of the Yosemite; not so much on the floor of the valley, but along the trails beyond the rim of the valley. The chickedee is a rather common nesting bird in the higher sections of Yosemite National Park, but is but sparsely represented as a resident bird on the floor of the valley. A half dozen nesting pairs would, perhaps, be the average number of resident birds on the floor of the valley. Vertical migration is practiced among the chickadees to a certain extent and birds from the higher sections invade the valley during the winter months. At this season small flocks may be found in almost any section of the valley. Presumably, numbers of chickadees winter at elevations below the Yosemite, for it is during the month of March and April that they are most numerous in the valley. Flocks linger about the floor of the valley during these months. but finally the up-mountain movement takes the greater number to the country beyond the "rim" and only the few nesting birds remain through the summer. Chickadees returning from the high mountains do not put in their appearance in the valley much before Christmas. During most of the year chickadees are common in all the high sections of the park. In late summer and fall they range upward to timberline, and even in the dead of winter they may be found in the forests beyond the rim of the valley at elevations varying from 7000 to 9000 feet. They are hardy and resourceful birds. The chickadee is an omnivorous feeder, which gives him a big ad- :' :It' !to over Wren n' rr r n"o re-

stricted diet. Fqr the most part, pair here in the Yosemite tucked however, taking the seasons their nest in a crevice among rocks through, the chickadee is a foliage that formed the foundation for the feeder, confining his foraging to Sentinel bridge. But whatever the trees and shrubs. During the wincase may be, the one feature that ter months when insect food is the chickadee insists upon is that scarce, the chickadee may be seen he have a snug-fitting entrance to extracting nuts from pine or cedar his nest-hole. On two occasions cone. Occasionally, too, he may chickadees were found using a nest come down and forage on the site with an entrance so narrow ground. The winter diet of nuts that they had to wriggle and apparently agrees with him, for he squeeze to get in and out of the seems just as cheerful and just as nest. No doubt the chickadee knows active as during the spring and from experience that the smaller summer months. the entrance bole the better the As a rule, the chickadee nests in nest is protected against such natural cavities in tree trunks; occasionally he may nest in a desertProwling enemies as would feed ed willow woodpecker hole, and one upon eggs or young. Dotted Canyon Wren (Catherpes Mexicanus Punctulatus) In the Yosemite valley, the can. yon wren lives most of its life among the great jumbled boulders of the talus slopes. In spring. sum mer and fall they are found in the rock slides on both sides of the val. ley. In winter they concentrate on the talus along the base of the north wall. Also in winter they are likely to be found about the build ings and woodpiles of the new vii lage During the season each rock slide has its pair of wrens and the distance between pairs would prob ably average a half mile. The canyun wren Is easily distin guishabie from all other birds if the Yosemite Its general colors lion is a rich reddish brown, with a throat and chest that gleam white In sharp nontrast. It has the habit of hrihbing somewhat In the manna' of the ouzel and when go Ing tIRh this strange maneuver one is likely to catch a flash from its gleaming throat The white of throat and chest acts as a good re fleeter to throw light into the dark crannies as the bird moves about m search of hidden insects. Living in the rock piles this wren might easily keep out of sight, but it is of an inquisitive nature and must bob up from behind its rock to have a peek at passing strangers Sitting quietly the bird student may easily arouse its curiosity and draw it close by uttering a few sharp squeaks. At the proper season this same trick will bring out a whole family of wrens. On one occasion I had wrens actually hopping over my feet and examining my shoes with apparent interest. But, hopping is not just the right word to describe the locomotion of the canyon wren, for it really appears at times to' scurry over the boulders in the manner of a lizard And by the way, the blue-bellied lizard is common in the ecological niche of the canyon wren : both are lovers of the hot rocks, In its particular forage niche the canyon wren has a clear field to a food supply not available to other birds It knows the dark caverns and se cret passageways that lead among the boulders, and when snow.lies deep on slope and level, it is still safely secure against hunger. - Its feeding habits and inquisitive nature lead to exploration of out-of the-way places and often during the winter months into the dwellings of men. Most birds become confused when they find themselves in a room. and often excited birds will beat against a closed window In

an effort to escape. Not so the that come ringing down the scale, canyon wren. In a dark attic.or Each note is distinct, rapid at first, in a lighted :room with windows all but coming slower and slower as about, it becomes neither excited they drop down the scale: Between nor confused; it knows bow it came the last few notes there is almost a in and just how to get • :out. For pause, and often there is a cute litweeks one winter a certain -canyon tie up-twisted, curly note that puts wren came daily into the postoffice a most effective fininsb to the song. corridor to scamper about the walls When singing from a cliff with a and floor in search of insects. granite sounding board at its hack, The canyon -wren sings every the canyon wren spills a down ripmonth in the year, and it would be piing flaw of notes that are never hard to say which is the best singing month. The song is -a series of to be forgotten by him who is so ten or "twelve round, clear notes fortunate as to hear.

This is the official publication of the Educatipnal Department of Yosemite National Park It is published each month by the National Park Service with the cooperation of the Yosemite Natural History Association, and its purpose is to supply authoritative information on the natural history and scientific features of Yosemite National Park. The articles published herein are not copyrighted as it is intended that they shall be freely used by the press. Correspondence should be addressed to C. A. Harwell, Park Natura'ir-t, Yosemite National Park, California

C C THOMSON

Superintendent