684 CI2.E5 THE GIFT OF FLORENCE V. V. DICKEY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES THE DONALD R. DICKEY LIBRARY OF VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY Japuig W.OtTo Ut^xVL^U^. waTe J? * 7 ' OKN ITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IX SAX DIEGO COUNTY. ' TO KMKRSON. 5672*8 ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 419 ORNITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. BY W. OTTO EMERSON. The months of January, February and March, 1884, found me storm-bound on the Volcano Mountains, about seventy- five miles northeast of San Diego. The intervals between January 15-20 and between April 6-2S were spent in Poway Valley, twenty-two miles north of San Diego. The Volcano Mountains seem to be a spur from the main range, rising about 5,000 feet above sea level. Eastward as far as the eye can see lies the so-called desert. West- ward among the valleys and tablelands (mesas) the country is sparsely settled. The western side of the range is well timbered with several species of oaks, while towards the north, dark, heavy belts of timber are seen. Poway Valley is surrounded by high rolling hills; these in many places are bare and rocky; again, covered with patches of cacti. Black and white sage is the principal veg- etation covering the sides of the many ravines. Very few trees of any kind are seen; these comprise oaks, elders, oc- casional sycamores and clumps of willows. The elders grow very large, the berries furnishing food for Kobins, Mocking- birds, Bluebirds. House Finches, and others. The sycamores are the habitation of several species of rapacious birds. Numerous kinds of cacti are found, the one known as cholla being used by many birds to build their nests in. In the present paper it is intended to show the relative abundance of the various species found on the Volcano Mountains in winter; also those of Poway Valley in winter, and of the latter place after the spring migrants had begun to arrive. The lists are somewhat incomplete, owing to my ill health preventing observations during the severest weather. The winter was an unusually severe one on the 29 BULL. CAL. ACAD. Sci. II. 7. Issued June 3. 1887. 420 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. mountains, snow often covering the ground to the depth of two feet. Nine inches fell during one night. I am under obligations to Dr. J. G. Cooper and Mr. Kob- ert Ridgway for identifying several of the species included in these lists. Specimens were taken of all excepting Golden Eagle, Turkey Buzzard, Crow, and Sandhill Crane. Arriving on the mountains in January, bird life was met with in profusion, scattered among the trees and bushes, no storms having yet occurred to drive them down to the val- leys or confine them to sheltered flats along the creeks. After the first hard rain storm they commenced moving lower down, and the first fall of snow, towards the latter part of January, sent them hurrying to the warmer valleys. The species taken or seen on the mountains were as fol- lows: 1. Grus mexicana. SANDHILL CRANE. A large flock was seen flying north- ward March 16th, and another on March 20th. 2. Oreortyx pictus plumiferus. PLUMED PARTRIDGE. A bevy of forty or more was seen in January. They were not as common as the Valley Par- tridge. 3. Callipepla californica vallicola. VALLEY PARTRIDGE. Abundant. This species withstands the cold and snow far better than its larger relative. The Plumed Partridge became scarce after the first heavy fall of snow, having gone to a lower altitude to winter. 4. Cathartes aura. TURKEY VULTURE. Only noticed on one occasion, when eight or nine were seen circling above the main ridge (Feb- ruary 22d). 5. Accipiter velox, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. One seen February 22d. ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 421 6. Accipiter cooperi. COOPER'S HAWK. Tolerably common. 7. Buteo borealis calurus. WESTERN RED-TAIL. Common. Eggs were brought to me as early as February 20th. 8. Archibuteo ferrugineus. FERRUGINEUS ROUGH-LEG. A male was shot February 25th, at the foot of the mountains, by my friend Mr. Fred. Paine. 9. Aquila chryssetus. GOLDEN EAGLE. Seen flying on several occasions. No doubt breeds in this vicinity. 10. Falco sparverius. AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. One bird was seen March 1st. 11. Bubo virgihianus subarcticus. WESTERN HORNED OWL. Sometimes heard calling at dusk from some oaks near the house. 12. Dryobates villosus harrisii. HARRIS'S WOODPECKER. One male taken. 13. Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. CALIFORNIAN WOODPECKER. Common. In stormy weather remaining concealed in the oaks, but on sunny days coming about, with their glad ekup, ekup, ekup. 14. Colaptes cafer. RED-SHAFTED FLICKER. Rare on the mountains. 15. Trochilus anna. ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. A male flew past the house the morning of March llth, hurrying to leave a place where the snow lay over everything. 16. Otocoris alpestris rubea. RUDDY HORNED LARK. Common on open flats. 422 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. nun ii vlT, Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis. BLUE-FRONTED JAY. Common at all times. 18. Aphelocoma californica, CALIFORNIA JAY. Common. More social than the Blue- fronted Jay, coming about the corrals and sheds for scat- tered corn, and often going to the feed boxes to help them- selves. Specimens which were taken differ considerably from the same species found at Hay wards, Cal., being smaller and somewhat different in color. 19. Corvus americanus. AMERICAN CROW. Two or three pairs were seen about the ranch during the winter. A large colony had nesting sites in some willows at the foot of the mountain in the spring. 20. Sturnella magna neglecta. WESTERN MEADOWLARK. Rarely seen on the mountains. 21. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. Three males came around the house during a snow storm on February llth; a female was seen on March 20th. 22. Carpodacus frontalis rhodocolpus. CRIMSON HOUSE FINCH. Not common. Heard one sing- ing on February 22d. 23. Spinus lawrencei. LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH. A small flock was seen twice in January. 24. Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus. WESTERN SAVANNA SPARROW. A single specimen was taken Marcli 9th. . 25. Chondestes grammacus strigatus. WESTERN LARK SPARROW. Common in flocks about open ground. 26. Zonotrichia gambeli. GAMBEL'S SPARROW. Common. ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 423 27. Zonotrichia coronata. GOLDEN CROWNED SPARROW. Tolerably common. Associ- ated with Gambol's Sparrow. 28. Junco hyemalis oregonus. OREGON JUNCO. Common. 29. Melospiza fasciata heermanni. HEERMANN'S SONG SPARROW. Rare. 30. Melospiza lincolni. LINCOLN'S SPARROW. The only individual seen was taken January 25th. 31. Passerella iliaca unalasohcensis. TOWNSEND'S SPARROW. Common. A specimen which Mr. Ridgway has identified approaches closely to the variety megar/t f/ nchii in size of bill and coloration. 32. Pipilo maculatus megalonyx. SPURRED TOWHEE. Common. Could be heard singing on any clear morning from the top of low bushes. 33. Pipilo fuscus crissalis. JCALIFOHNIAN TOWHEE. Common. 34. Tachycineta thalassina. VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. First seen March 17th, early in the morning, but finding five inches of snow on the ground they circled about for three hours and then disappeared, returning April 1st, when I noticed them resting on bare oak twigs. 35. Dendroica auduboni. AUDUBON'S WARBLER. Was seen February 22d, towards the foot of the mountains. 36. Harporhynchus redivivus. CALIFORNIAN THRASHER. Heard singing on March 9th. 424 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 37. Troglodytes sedon parkmanii. PARKMAN'S WREN. One specimen was taken January 24th , and another seen on the 28th. 38. Sitta carolinensis 'aculeata. SLENDER-BILLED NUTHATCH. Seen and heard singing every day. Appeared to be looking for nesting sites March 1st. 39. Parus inornatus. PLAIN TITMOUSE. Common. The males were singing the latter part of March. 40. Parus gambeli. MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. Common. Noticed them singing March 1st. 41. Psaltriparus minimus californicus. CALIFORNIAN BUSH-TIT. Seen February 24th, during a heavy snow storm, with a flock of the Mountain Chickadee. 42. Regulus calendula. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Two birds were seen the last of March. 43. Myadestes townsendii. TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE. Only two or three were seen. 44. Turdus aonalaschkae. DWARF HERMIT THRUSH. Bare. None were seen after February 22d. 45. Merula migratoria propinqua. WESTERN ROBIN. Common wherever the ground was bare and soft. 46. Sialia mexicana. WESTERN BLUEBIRD. Common. Mated by March 1st. I left the Volcano Mountains on April 2d, and went into camp the same day at the foot of the mountains, on my re- turn to Powav Valley. About dusk two Russet-backed ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 425 Thrashes were seen. On entering the Santa Isabel Valley next day, the Arkansas Kingbird was found in pairs perched upon dry weed-stalks. Crimson House Finch, Western Lark Sparrow, Western Meadowlark and Brewer's Black- bird, were common through the green fields, while the air above was merry with the twitter of many Clitf Swallows. Lower in the valley the following were seen: American Sparrow Hawk, Western Bed-Tail, Bullock's Oriole, Purple Martin, Andubon's and Pileolated Warblers. On the plains I noticed Western Savanna Sparrow, Western Lark Sparrow, Crimson House Finch, Yellow-headed and Bicolored Black- birds, flocks of Mountain Plover and Ruddy Horned Lark. A few pairs of Ash-throated Flycatchers, a species which ar- rives late, showed that the spring migration to San Diego county was far advanced. Cliff Swallows had commenced building under the eaves of an adobe house, and about a moist spot of ground several Killdeers were feeding. The lonesome notes of the Poor-will could be heard almost con- tinually throughout the night. In the following list of the birds of Poway Valley, seen or taken by me in April, I have included in their order those noticed in January. Such \viuter birds are indicated by *. 1. JEgialitis vocifera. KLLLDEER. Tolerably common. Breeds. *2. Callipepla californica. CALIFORNIA PARTRIDGE. Very plentiful among the cacti. *3. Zenaidura macroura. MOURNING DOVE. Tolerably common. 4. Pseudogryphos californianus. CALIFORNIA VULTURE. I hardly expected to have the good fortune to see this rare bird, but one day I heard a sound, as of wind coming through the oaks, and saw a large shadow passing over the ground. Soon this bird of immense wings 426 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. went sailing by towards the mountains. I had time to note the bare, bright colored head, outstretched from the body, and then he was gone. This rare species is now confined to the mountains back from the coast. I have been told by Mr. Henry Chapman (now deceased) that they were once common in San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. 5. Accipiter velox. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. One specimen was taken in Janu- ary. Not afterwards seen. *6. Buteo borealis calurus. WESTERN BED-TAIL. Common in the vicinity of trees. 7. Falco sparverius. AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. Common. 8. Strix pratincola. AMERICAN BARN OWL. A few seen at dusk among oaks. 9. Bubo virginianus subarcticus. WESTERN HORNED OWL. Common. 10. Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. BURROWING OWL. Common. Fresh eggs were taken April 23d. 11. Dryobates pubescens gairdnerii. GAIRDNER'S WOODPECKER. Common among oak trees. *12. Colaptes cafer. RED-SHAFTED FLICKER. Common. 13. Phalaenoptilus nuttalli. POOR-WILL. Tolerably common. 14. Chordeiles virginianus henry i. WESTERN NIGHTHAWK. Common. ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 427 15. Trochilus alexandri. BLAOK-CHIXNED HUMMINGBIRD. Common. More so than any other of this genus. Fresh eggs were taken, and half- fledged young found April 23d. 16. Trochilus anna. ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. Rare. One male seen. 17. Trochilus rufus. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD. Rare. 18. Tyrannus verticalis. ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. Common. Nests were ready to re- ceive eggs by the last of April. *19. Tyrannus vociferans. CASSINS KINGBIRD. Common. Nests about the same time as the Arkansas Kingbird, but the eggs are not distinguish- able from those of that species. 20. Myiarchus cinerascens. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. One pair seen. *21. Sayornis nigricans. BLACK PHOEBE. Common. Eggs taken April 27th. 22. Empidonax difficilis. BAIRD'S FLYCATCHER. Was noticed only once, on April 8th. "23. Otocoris alpestris rubea. RUDDY HORNED LARK. Tolerably common. -Incubated eggs were found April 20th. 24. Aphelocoma californica. CALIFORNL\ JAY. Common. 428 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 25. Xanthocephalus xauthocephalus. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. Seen in small flocks. The male has an odd way of throwing his head to one side when singing. 26. Agelaius gubernator. BICOLORED BLACKBIRD. Common. 27. Agelaius tricolor. TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD. Tolerably common. 28. Sturnella magna neglecta. WESTERN MEADOWLARK. Tolerably common. 29. Icterus cucullatus nelsoni, ARIZONA HOODED ORIOLE. Common. Nests in gum trees were completed by the last of April. From the appearance of specimens taken I should judge that it required from two to three years for the males to attain full plumage. 30. Icterus bullocki. BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. Common. Not found near the vicin- ity of the nesting places of the Hooded Oriole. 31. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. Very common. Nests in pepper trees. One nest taken April 17th contained seven eggs. *32. Carpodacus frontalis rhodocolpus. CRIMSON HOUSE FINCH. Nest and fresh eggs taken April 18th. "33. Spinus psaltria. ARKANSAS GOLDFINCH. Tolerably common. Fed on young oak buds. ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 429 34. Spinus lawrencei. LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH. Common. Found large joung and fresh eggs April 23d. *35. Poocaetes gramineus confinis. WESTERN VESPER SPARROW. Tolerably common. "36. Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus. WESTERN SAVANNA SPARROW. Tolerably common. "37- Chondestes grammacus strigatus. WESTERN LARK SPARROW. Common among clumps of cactus. Fresh eggs taken April 20th. 38. Zonotrichia gambeli. GAMBEL'S SPARROW. Common. 39. Spizella socialis arizonae. WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. Heard singing. 40. Amphispiza belli. BELL'S SPARROW. Tolerably common. Keeps among thick brush. '41. Pipilo fuscus crissalis. CALIFORNIAN TOWHEE. Tolerably common. Was build- ing by the middle of April. 42. Habia melanocephala. BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. A single male was seen. 43. Passerina amoena. LAZULI BUNTING. Hare. 44. Petrochelidon lunifrons. CLIFF SWALLOW. Common. 430 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 45. Tachycineta thalassina. VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. About ten birds were seen fly- ing in a northerly direction April 10th. *46. Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides. WHITE-RUMPED SHRIKE. Common. 47. Vireo gilvus. WARBLING VIREO. Was seen singing in the oaks. 48. Dendroica aestiva. YELLOW WARBLER. Eare. One male seen. *49. Dendroica auduboni. AUDUBON'S WARBLER. A few seen in April. 50. Geothlypis trichas occideutalis. WESTERN YELLOW THROAT. Eare. *51. Mimus polyglottus. MOCKINGBIRD. Could be heard singing morning and even- ing, and often on moonlight nights. 52. Harporhynchus redivivus. CALIFORIAN THRASHER. Quite common throughout the low hills. 53. Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus. CACTUS WREN. Common. A nest and fresh eggs taken April 18th. 54. Salpinctes obsoletus. EOCK WREN. Tolerably common in suitable localities. 55. Troglodytes aedon parkmanii. PARKMAN'S WREN. Common. ORNITHOLOGY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 431 '56. Chamaea fasciata. WREN-TIT. Tolerably common. 57. Psaltriparus minimus californicus. CALIFORNIA^ Buse-TiT. Found a nest with young, April 23d. 58. Regulus calendula. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. A male was seen April 27th. 59. Polioptila caerulea. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Bare. Two males were taken in January. 60. Turdus aonalaschkae. DWARF HERMIT THRUSH. Tolerably common in January. Fed upon the berries of the pepper tree. '61. Merula migratoria propinqua. WESTERN KOBIN. Was seen in the valley April 28th. 62. Sialia mexicana. WESTERN BLUEBIRD. Very common among the pepper trees during my visit in January. 63. Sialia arctica. MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD. A few seen about a plowed field in January. I was told that it was the first time that they had been seen in the valley. B 000"870V70