/v ' + M&O Serials QL 671 .G84 ‘jntiE MONTHLY Volume 38 CULL RNIA Aife £ T I N FEB 3 19-6 ;jjggivcEb_\-g^ Berkeley, California, FebruaryT“1‘95^ Number 2 SAN FRANCISCO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Dec. 26, 1955. Areas covered; Marina, Lincoln Park, Twin Peaks, Sutro Forest, Land’s End, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Stern Grove, Treasure Island, Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco Bayshore, Pacific Ocean Beach, Seal Rocks, Lake Merced, Fleishhacker Area, Marin Shoreline, McLaren Park, and 22 smaller City parks and boulevards. 21 (Pac.) Arctic Loon 32 Red-throated Loon 17 Loon, unidentified 1 (Holboell's) Red- necked Grebe 35 Horned Grebe 114 Eared Grebe 631 Western Grebe 42 Pied-billed Grebe 117 Brown Pelican 369 Double-cr. Cormorant 421 Brandt’s Cormorant 38 (Baird’s) Pelagic Cormorant 172 Cormorant, unident. 3 Great Blue Heron 1 American Egret 2 Green Heron 5 Bl.-cr. Night Heron 693 Mallard 2 Gadwall 24 Shoveller 629 Am. Widgeon 31 Ring-necked Duck 125 Canvas- back 35 Greater Scaup 174 Lesser Scaup 3 Am. Golden-eye 1 Buffle-head 1 Old-squaw 34 White-winged Scoter 349 Surf Scoter 237 Ruddy Duck 20 Red-br. Merganser 20 Ducks, unident. 1 Cooper’s Hawk 3 Red-tailed Hawk Total: 1 Peregrine Falcon 15 Sparrow Hawk 100 California Quail 1015 Am. Coot. 7 Snowy Plover 43 Killdeer 3 Black-bellied Plover 1 Long-billed Curlew 30 Black Turnstone 2 Spotted Sandpiper 6 Wandering Tattler 16 Willet 4 Red-backed Sandpiper 577 Sanderling 2 Am. Avocet 1 Northern Phalarope (no details, Ed.) 793 Glauc.-winged Gull 2385 Western Gull 124 Herring Gull 2680 California Gull 2216 Ring-billed Gull 648 Short-billed Gull 212 Bonaparte’s Gull 3 Heermann’s Gull 1725 Gulls, unidentified 48 Forster’s Tern 2 Common Murre 11 Mourning Dove 1 Horned Owl 15 Anna’s Humminbird 3 Belted Kingfisher 55 Red-shafted Flicker 1 (Red-breasted) Yellow- bellied Sapsucker 3 Downy Woodpecker 41 Black Phoebe 15 Horned Lark 6 (Calif.) Scrub Jay 9 Common Raven 1 Am. Crow 45 Chestnut-b. Chickadee 38 Common Bush-tit 7 Red-br. Nuthatch 2 Brown Creeper 3 Wren-tit 4 Winter Wren 2 Bewick’s Wren 1 Marsh Wren 234 Am. Robin 24 Varied Thrush 32 Hermit Thrush 2 Golden-cr. Kinglet 36 Ruby-cr. Kinglet 70 (Am.) Water Pipit 4 (Calif.) Loggerhead Shrike 4 Hutton’s Vireo 67 Audubon’s Warbler 5 Yellow-throat 446 House Sparrow 79 Western Meadowlark 494 Brewer’s Blackbird 785 House Finch 70 Pine Siskin 2 Am. Goldfinch 6 Spotted Towhee 1 Lark Sparrow 238 Oregon Junco 1040 White-cr. Sparrow 430 Golden-cr. Sparrow 66 Fox Sparrow 151 Song Sparrow 101 species, 21,611 individuals. — 5 — February THE G U L L 1956 Observers (*indicates group leader): L. W. Bartow*, T. C. Bartow, A. J. Bennett*, Dr. A. Boles*, S. Bozant, G. Braunstein, M. Browne, C. L. Carson*, R. R. Chase*, D. Crane, S. Crane, Dr. A. L. Curl*, J. R. Fobres, J. T. Hedgpeth*, T. Hermsen, E. Hevel, C. Hines, Jr., J. Kilfoil, T. Kilfoil, E. Kilham, G. T. Kilman, J. Lawry, L. R. Leinbach*, M. B. Leinbach, E. S. Lennon*, W. S. Lennon, A. H. Myer, M. Noe, A. Parkinson, H. G. Peterson*, S. Pulver, H. A. Reese, Dr. T. E. Reynolds*, A. M. Smith, L. P. Smith*, Mrs. L. P. Smith, R. Stallcup, T. Trautman, P. A. Veitch*, F. Zografos, Jr.* Total, 40 observers. — Arthur H. Myer, Compiler. OAKLAND CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Jan. 2, 1956. Areas covered (Parts of a 15-mile diameter circle centered at Moraga Ave. and Estates Dr.): Bay Farm Id., San Leandro Bay, Alameda, Lake Merritt and Lake- side Park, E. shore of San Francisco Bay from Bridge approach to Pt. Isabel, Sunset View Cemetery, Berkeley City parks, Univ. of California campus. Strawberry Canyon, Claremont Hotel area. Lake Temescal, Mountain View Cemetery, Dimond Park, Joaquin Miller Park area. Mills College and Leona Heights to Devil’s Punchbowl area, hills and canyon N. of Oakland Naval Hospital, St. Mary’s College to Moraga to Redwood Canyon, Tilden Regional Park, Orinda and Bear Creek area and most of San Pablo Reservoir. 1 Common Loon 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 155 Band-tailed Pigeon 12 (Pac.) Arctic Loon 9 Cooper’s Hawk 232 Mourning Dove 20 Red-throated Loon 47 Red-tailed Hawk 5 Barn Owl 1 (Holboell’s) Red- 1 Marsh Hawk 1 Screech Owl necked Grebe 44 Sparrow Hawk 10 Horned Owl 115 Horned Grebe 346 California Quail 3 Short-eared Owl 96 Eared Grebe 2 Clapper Rail 14 White-throated Swift 260 Western Grebe 1664 Am. Coot 79 Anna’s Humminbird 24 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Snowy Plover 3 Belted Kingfisher 29 Brown Pelican 63 ( Semipalmated ) 202 Red-shafted Flicker 329 Double-cr. Cormorant Ringed Plover 21 Acorn Woodpecker 28 Brandt’s Cormorant 185 Killdeer 8 (Red-br.) Yellow- 1 Pelagic Cormorant 289 Black-bel. Plover bellied Sapsucker 39 Great Blue Heron 5 Black Turnstone 2 Hairy Woodpecker 121 American Egret 1 Wilson’s Snipe 17 Downy Woodpecker 18 Snowy Egret 49 Long-billed Curlew 4 Nuttall’s Woodpecker 25 Bl.-cr. Night Heron 8 Hudsonian Curlew 28 Black Phoebe 289 Canada Goose 4 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Say’s Phoebe 635 Mallard 2455 Willet 69 Horned Lark 1 Gadwall 1 Greater Yellow-legs 119 Steller’s Jay 66 Pintail 172 Least Sandpiper 222 (Calif.) Scrub Jay 12 Shoveller 1250 Red-b. Sandpiper 15 Am. Crow 94 Am. Widgeon 6 Dowitcher 272 Ch. -backed Chickadee 2 Wood Duck 7264 Western Sandpiper 131 Plain Titmouse 16 Ring-necked Duck 1311 Marbled Godwit 557 Common Bush-tit 22005 Canvas-back 695 Sandering 11 White-br. Nuthatch 307 Lesser Scaup 2317 Am. Avocet 35 Red-br. Nuthatch 25 Scaup, unident. 991 Glauc.-winged Gull 2 Brown Creeper 145 Am. Golden-eye 392 Western Gull 117 Wren- tit 52 Buffle-head 51 Herring Gull 3 Winter Wren 1 Old-squaw 558 California Gull 11 Bewick’s Wren 53 White-winged Scoter 250 Ring-billed Gull 16 Mockingbird 212 Surf Scoter 392 Short-billed Gull 4 California Thrasher 2479 Ruddy Duck 326 Bonaparte’s Gull 15524 American Robin 11 Am. Merganser 276 Gulls, unidentified 194 Varied Thrush 46 Red-br. Merganser 70 Forster’s Tern 78 Hermit Thrush 2381 Ducks, unident. 2 Caspian Tern 89 Western Bluebird 1 Turkey Vulture 3 Golden-cr. Kinglet — 6 — February THE GULL 1956 154 Ruby-cr. Kinglet 181 (Am.) Water Pipit 165 Cedar Waxwing 20 Loggerhead Shrike 10 Hutton's Vireo 1 Orange-cr. Warbler 3 Myrtle Warbler- 206 Audubon’s Warbler 4 Townsend's Warbler 875 House Sparrow 363 Western Meadowlark 1164 Brewer’s Blackbird 9 Brown-hd’d. Cowbird 36 Purple Finch 843 House Finch 1250 Pine Siskin 70 Am. Goldfinch 68 (Green-backed) Lesser Goldfinch 106 Spotted Towhee 511 Brown Towhee 58 Savannah Sparrow 12 Lark Sparrow 3 Rufous-cr. Sparrow 1 Slate-col. Junco (S.T.) 1115 Oregon Junco 1 Harris’s Sparrow (I.T.) 1156 White-cr. Sparrow 369 Golden-cr. Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow (I.T.) 101 Fox Sparrow 1 Lincoln's Sparrow 239 Song Sparrow. 180 Red-winged Blackbird Total: 140 species, 78,992 individuals. Observers (*indicates group leader): Betty Adamson, Harry Adamson*, Warren Armstrong, Richard Bailey, Leslie W. Bartow, Tyra C. Bartow, Philip H. Baukol, Albert Boles*, Sadie Bozant, Myra Browne*, Mike Carboni, Bessie Cogswell, Howard Cogswell*, Herold Connon, Paul Covel*, Alan Craig*, David Crane, Stephen Crane, A. Laurence Curl*, C. D. Fisher, John Ripley Forbes, Alice Gray, Tom Grimes, Jack Guggolz, Lillian Henningsen, Charles Hines, Jr.*, Bill Jensen, Leroy Jensen, Junea W. Kelly*, L. R. Leinbach*, Mary Leinbach, Elizabeth Lennon, Walter Lennon, Phyllis Lindley, Roberta Long, Gardner Marshall, Arthur Morley, Arthur Myer*, Ethel L. Myer, Tim Newcomb, Paul Opler, Harold Peterson*, W. M. Pursell, Mrs. W. M. Pursell, Jean Pyle, Amy Rine- hart, Elsie Roemer, Gene Schwiezer, Frank A. Scott, Jean Stallcup, Kenneth Stallcup, Lee Stallcup, Richard Stallcup, Sally Steller, John Thomas, Mrs. John Thomas, Sylvia Thomssen, Betty Trousdale, Inez 'Troxell, Marjorie Van Scyoc, Peter Veitch, Henry Wagner, "Thomas Wharton, Bev Wilder, Herb Wong*, Pete Wright, Minnie H. Young. — Lee Stallcup, Compiler NEW OFFICERS The new officers elected at the January 12 meeting are listed in the box at the bottom of page eight. The nominating committee consisted of Mrs. Dorothy Dean Scott, Miss Alice Leet, and Mrs. Laurel Reynolds. NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following new members to our society: from Berkeley, Mrs. John B. Cuno and Mrs. Ralph R. Glass; from Oakland, Miss Louise Capelle, Mrs. Vida Coen, Miss Alice Gramm, Mrs. Alice G. Gray, and Mr. Warren W. Kirk; from San Francisco, Miss Barbara Cox, Mrs. Edith M. Rutledge and Mr. Gene Schweizer. OBSERVATIONS White Pelican, 7 on bay near Pt. Isabel, Jan 15 (A.L.Curl); Golden Eagle, pair at Conn Lake, Jan. 8 (ALC); Mockingbird, 1 at Berkeley Aquatic Park, Dec. 27 (A.S. Campbell); Robin, a total of nearly 36,000 counted on Jan. 8 approaching the Joaquin Miller Park roost, by nine parties observing simultaneously along as many radii within a mile of the roost (H. L. Cogswell) ; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 30 to 40 in oak forest at St. Mary’s College, Jan 9, associating with White-breasted Nuthatch and Creeper (ASC); Evening Grosbeak, flock of about 15 flew southward from the Joaquin Miller Park area at dawn on Jan. 9 (HLC), and a female observed near Mills College, Jan. 16 (Kenneth Stallcup); Slate-colored Junco, 2 on Buenaventura St., Oakland, Jan. 16 (Lee Stallcup); White-throated Sparrow, adult at a feeding station in N. Berkeley repeatedly since Nov. 9 (Inez Troxell); Harris's Sparrow, immature at this same location since Dec. 20 (I.T.) and an adult in S.E. Berkeley in January (Mrs. E. Fritz, per I.T.). NOTICE TO CHRISTMAS BIRD-COUNTERS The members present at the January meeting of the society voted to authorize pay- ment from the treasury of the 50c observer’s fee charged by Audubon Field Notes maga- zine, in which the counts are published. Those who paid this fee personally may receive a refund of it upon request from the treasurer or his representative at any meeting of the Society during the next four months. EDITOR’S CORNER In this space will frequently appear brief announcements of recent literature of interest, sueeestions for study projects or places to visit, etc., as well as requests for information. The common names used for birds in "The Gull’’ are the official LI. S. Fish and Wildlife Service names, as published in Audubon Field Notes, vol. 4 (1950): pp. 37-39, 260. — 7 — February THE GULL 1956 FEBRUARY MEETING The 46lst regular meeting of the Golden Gate Audubon Society will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, in the Assembly Room (3rd floor) of the Main Library in San Francisco (Larkin and McAllister Sts., no. 5 bus). Miss Lee Crouch of the U.S. Forest Service will speak and show a film, "Chaparral, the Elfin Forest." Scoop; Richfield's brand new film, "The Conservation Story,” will be shown at the end of the program. Guests are welcome. — Mrs. Budd J. Smith, Program Chairman. FIELD TRIPS FOR FEBRUARY On Sunday, February 12, to Ritchie Ranch and other areas west of Lodi, San Joaquin County, where for the past two years excellent views of Sandhill Cranes, many geese, ducks, gallinules. While-tailed Kites, etc., were had. The area is one of moist valley farmland with marshy ditches and tree-bordered sloughs near the Mokelumne River. Al- though partly flooded this winter, the paved roads are expected to be passable. Exact areas visited will depend on water conditions. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of State Route 12 (Iselton to Lodi road) and Thornton Road, which is marked by the Rodeo Inn and a service station on the s.w. corner. This point is 81 miles from Oakland via U. S. Route 40 to Fairfield, thence via State Route 12 to 6 miles beyond Terminous. Leader, Lee Stallcup. Bring binoculars, telescope, lunch, warm clothing, and interested friends. Those needing transportation who can meet drivers enroute in the city and those able to take such passengers (sharing of expenses suggested) will be put in contact if both will call the field trips chairman, LO 9-3185. On Saturday, February 23, to San Francisco Zoo grounds, adjacent beach, and Lake Merced. Meet at 9 a.m. at the north entrance to the Fleishhacker playground, Sloat Boulevard near Great Highway (L car from downtown San Francisco). If interest warrants, a special session in identificaton of gulls in various plumages will be offered by H. L. Cogswell. Those participating in this can expect to spend a couple of hours at it, and should do their"homework” in advance by studying diligently the differences in the various species and ages to be found here, as described in Hoffmann’s "Birds of the Pacific States, ’ Peterson’s "Field Guide to Western Birds", or other books. Others present may make a circuit of Lake Merced to sec a variety of waterbirds. Marsh Wren, and probably Town- send’s Warbler and Allen’s Hummingbird, which are common here at this season. Bring binocular, telescope, books for identification, interested friends, and lunch. Meet at S. entrance to the zoo at 12:00 noon for discussion. — Lee Stallcup, Field Trips Chairman. GOLDEN GATE AUDUBON SOCIETY. INC. Established January 25, 1917 President Mrs. George C. Browne 2435 Ivy Drive, Oakland 6, TW 3-5469 Vice President Dr. T. Eric Reynolds 140 Estates Dr., Piedmont II, AN I-7I2I Vice President Mrs. Budd J. Smith 555 Dewey Blvd., San Francisco 16, OV 1-7635 Treasurer Harold G. Peterson 3548 65th Av., Oakland 5, LO 8-7534 Rec. Secretary Mrs. Roberta J. Long 45 Clarendon Ave., San Fransisco 14, LO 4-7767 Cor. Secretary Mrs. Hermine H. VanGelder 2409 Bowditch St., Berkeley 4, AS 3-9740 Director Arthur J. Bennett 836 Mills Ave., San Bruno, JU 8-6702 Director Dr. Albert Boles 854 Longridge Rd., Oakland 10, GL 1-6267 Director and Editor Howard L. Cogswell Box 486, Mills College, Oakland 13, TR 3-6419 Distribution Chairman Miss Alice Leet 1050 Spruce St., Berkeley 7, LA 4-2488 Membership Chairman Mrs. Frank A. Scott. 1508 La Loma Ave., Berkeley 8, AS 3-1253 Claims for missing numbers of THE GULL should be sent to the Distribution Chairman. Changes of address should be sent to the Membership Chairman. Monthly meetings second Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Joint Membership, Local and National, $5.00 per year, includes AUDUBON MAGAZINE and THE GULL. Subscription to THE GULL separately, $1.00 per year. Branch of NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, California Office — 2426 Bancroft Way Berkeley 4 — TH, 8-4042 — 8 —