JANUARY 1955

* * * Notice s .•...... •...... 1 * * * * Birds Banded Near Tokyo •...... ••...••.. 2 * * * * Some Bakersfield Records ••••..•.•••..•••• 3 * * * * Newell Shearwater Banded in Hawaii •..•••. 3 * * * * Chapter Minutes •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4 * * * OFFICERS of the W. B. B. A. Russell H. Pray------Editor President------Emerson A. Stoner Mrs. N. E. Ayer, Henry E. Childs, Jr., 285 East L Street--Benicia, California Johnson A. Neff, Paul H. Steele Secretary------Mrs. Harold C. Austin 1116 Mandana Blvd.---Oakland 10, Calif. Business Manager-----Francis H. Boynton 163 W. State Street--Pasadena 2, Calif. Address contributions to the NEWS to Russell H. Pray, 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

The Editor of the News asks banders to write their interesting banding exper- iences and send them to the News. Every bander is interested in what other banders are doing so help make a better News with your letters and notes.

Annual Banding Report forms were mailed to all lmown active banders in Western United States, Western Canada, Hawaii and Alaska on December 26th. Members of W.B. B.A. are familiar with the Report as published in the News each April so it is not necessary to go into details. If you did not receive your form or if you lmow of any bander who did not, please see that a list of species banded with the numbers of each species is sent to Western Bird-Banding Association, E. A. Stoner, 285 East L Street, Benicia, California. This report covers the calendar year of 1954.

A statement of 1955 dues was mailed to every W.B.B.A. member before the first of the year. We want to remind you that if you have not sent in your dues, prompt attention to the matter will be appreciated by the Business Manager.

Dr. H. Elliott McClure writes from Japan, "I am afraid that I have been neglect- ing my duty as a bird-bander to keep the "News" informed of my activities. I have therefore prepared a little report on the banding that we have done here in Tokyo as well as on some of the returns and recoveries from the Bakersfield studies.

I miss the fun of banding all species and especially the coterie of the banders. Need some good banding bull sessions to stimulate my ornithological appetite." and enclosed the following very interesting report. Bird banding in Japan is not done on the scale that it is in America. There are no volunteer banders; instead, the few birds that are ringed are done so by government officials with specific problems in mind. This has greatly limited the numbers and kinds of birds that are being marked, hence the amount of informati~n accruing is extremely sketchy.

Literally millions of birds are caught each year by commercial netters, but when the GameManagementDivision was approached on the matter of utilizing these netters for banding information, they were not interested. If even a small percent- age of the take was banded and released, valuable information would be forthcoming.

Although the average Japanese is interested in birds as pets, objects of art, and food, his economic level is such that only a chosen few could give the time or moneyto banding that the average Americanbander does. One rarely sees feeding stations, not because the people do not enjoy birdS, but because the food cannot be spared by the family.

Finally, bird banding in Japan seems to have little future because of the politi- cal situation. Manysummerresidents migrate south to the Philippines or Formosa, and as far as Java. Japan is the winter homeof many species from Siberia and Manchuria. Other migrants pass through the Japanese Archipelago on their north and south trek. The outlook that bands would be returned from the various, "curtain" countries bordering Japan is hardly very hopeful.

In spite of these problems we have been banding as manyindividuals as possible of the species related to our studies of Japanese B enceph~litis. In 1952 we be- gan a study of a heronry near Tokyo and have continued observations each year since. In 1953 we expanded our program to include a cormorant colony and a region where Blue Magpies nested. Following is a list of the species and number which we'have marked:

~ ~ Total Great Egret 4 150 154 PlumedEgret 104 81 296 481 Little Egret 156 127 211 494 Black-crowned Night Heron 176 198 304 678 Cattle Egret 1 21 22 Japanese Cormorant 16 16 Blue Magpie 37 147 184 464 1129 2029 Of these 2029 marked birds we have had two recoveries, both within ten miles of the place of banding; one was a Little Egret and the other a Night Heron. How-, ever, adult birds bearing bands have been seen at the heronry each year since band- ing started.

The Great Egret, Egretta alba, resembles our Great White Heron, Ardea ~- dentalis, in size and action but has black instead of yellow feet and legs. It is a resident species all the year but is muchmore commonduring summer. The Plumed Egret, Egretta intermedia, is the AmericanEgret, Cosmerodius albus, of the Orient. In Japan it is an abundant summerresident. The smallest of the egrets, the Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, would probably be indistinguishable in the field from Snowy Egret, Leucophoyxthula. It is a commonpermanent resident. The Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, which has orily in recent years becomeestablished in North America, is uncommonin the Tokyo area. It reaches its northernmostdistribution in Honshu. The ubiquitous circumpolar Black-cro"WIledNight Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, is the same as in America. The Japanese Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, resembles the Double- crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, with which we are familiar, except that dur- ing breeding season its head and neck is nearly white. Most beautiful to the Ameri- can eye would be the Blue Magpie, Cyanopica cyanus, which is a powder blue and grey with a shining black skull cap and which has no counterpart in American fa.una unless it would be the Magpie, .!3:.£! :eica.

WIl!+eworking in Bakersfield, California, we banded more than 10,000 birds up to June 1950. Since that time 43 returns or recoveries have been reported to me from Washington. This does not include all of the recoveries as several were re- ceived between 1947 and 1950 for which I do not have records available here.

Someof the more interesting of these reports are as follows: Gambe1's Spar- row banded on December19, 1946, recaptured and released on February 29, 1952;, Gambel's Sparrow banded November21~ 1947, retrapped and released December11, 1951; English Sparrow banded July 11, 1949 as a nestling at Shafter movedto Lost Hills by February 15, 1951, a distance of several miles; MourningDove, banded as a nestl- ing June 4, 1947, shot in Ocottan, Jalisco, Mexico, on Januar.1 4, 1953; Bullock Oriole banded July 7, 1948, in Hunnolive grove near Bakersfield and retaken in same grove on April 30, 1953; English Sparrow banded as a nestling April 23, 1948, and found dead June 1, 1954, a mile or two away from its nest site.

H. Elliott McClure Department of Virus and Rickettsial Diseases 406th Medical General Laboratory APO500, San Francisco, California

Bob Pyle writes from Hawaii. "I have mybands here but no time or opportunity to use them. The last two bands I've put on have been on a Fairy·Tern and a Newell Shearwater - the latter being the first of its kind recorded in recent decades. Both were in the Honolulu Zoo temporarily but both died before they could be released.

tel enjoy reading of the L. A. Chapter activities in the NEWSand wish I could be there in person. Give mybest wishes to all the members."

The following account is taken from an article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin of June 4, 1954.

"A Newell Shearwater new into an Oahu sugar refinery at 4 a.m. of a recent morning, and thereby announced to the bird-lovers of the world that he is not extinct, as had been feared for someyears. He is the first of his kind to land in hands that recognized it for more than half a century.

All seven of them are in the Territory, according to George C. Munro, dean of Hawaii's ornithologists and author of the book, Birds of Hawaii. Twoof the seven are at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.

Newell, whose Hawaiian name is Ao, flew through an open windowinto the Sugar Refinery at Aiea the morning of May 21. An employe of the refinery, picked Newell up, was bitten for his troubles, and telephoned the Hawaiian HumaneSociety for help. The bird later ended up at the Honolulu Zoo, where he was identified as a Newell Shearwater, or Pu:ffinus newelli, or Ao.

Newell is a very tame-type bird. He'll eat from humanhands, and doesn't run in fright when approached by a humanbeing. But he III burrow inside grass or be- hind your feet, just to hide. He walks like a duck with two sprained ankles, is black on top and white underneath, and gulps smelt, a type of fish, that are half as long as he is, with great relish. He makes a noise like '''ao'' which is why the Hawaiians, who ate his predecessors whenthey were plentiful, call him Ao.

At one time, Newell used to be in great numberon Maui, Molokai, Kauai and Hawaii, according to Mr. Munro's book.

After being eaten by people, (some Hawaiians believed the Aowas an omenof death), mongooses, cats and pigs, he became scarce, and then became the rarest of any shearwaters liVing in Hawaii.

September: The first fall meeting of the Northern California Chapter, W.B.B.A. was held at the homeof Mr. and Mrs. EmersonStoner in Benicia on Sunday, September 19, 1954. Vice President, William Kirsher, called the meeting to order at 11:45 a.m. with 14 memberspresent.

Mr. Stoner told of their summertrips. Bird life was not too good in Trinity County while they were there, but he did have success with collecting somebutter- flies. Mr. Stoner has had several recovery reports. One a white CrownSparrow banded April 10, 1953 recovered in Oak Island, Washington on July 1, 1954. Several blackbirds banded at Benicia in 1953 were recovered nearby in 1954. A mockingbird banded in April 1951 was recovered in 1954. Mr. Stoner showedus an albino black- bird which had been shot in a flock of normal birds neaI' Benicia by a friend. A Red- tailed Hawkin the melanistic phase captured with a broken wing is being cared for by the Stoners.

Mr. Steele stated that the swallow season had ended July 1. The group banded 2700 birds in one week. Celeste Kirsher told of an interesting experience she and a companionhad banding young hawks at the nesting site.

Mrs. Willie Argante who bands with Bill Kirsher told of banding Hairy Wood- peckers, young Macgilivray warblers, Western Woodpeewees, and Juncos at her summer homeat Tahoe. SamArgante has spotted several Swainson Hawknests in the junipers north of Reno on 395. He hopes to band them next year.

Mrs. Grinnel reviewed Miss Lee Howardsfascinating book, "Birds as Individuals" and recommendsit. She also came across a chapter; "Birds of Benicia," in Vol. 2- Perry's Voyage. They had stopped their ship for 24 hours at Benicia on their way to Japan and one of the memberscollected somebirds.

Bill Kirsher showeda map of the Sacramento area in which he is trapping Sparrow· Hawks. He has an ingeneous new spring trap using a live mouse as bait. To date he has caught 11 sparrow hawks and 19 shrike. He brought and released a sparrow hawk he had trapped 6 miles north of Benicia on the way to the meeting. He told of a nest of a Willet found by Celeste at Lake Tahoe near Pope beach. This site is about 200 miles south of the normal breeding range. The nest was unsuccessful and after being ob- served over a period of several weeks the eggs were brought to the Museumof Verte- brate Zoology. The Argantes reported seeing young Starlings being fed by adults on the wires near Likely, ModocCo., California.

After luncheon, the membersand guests browsed around in the Stoner library and museumenjoying a delightful afternoon. As a climax, Mr. Stoner brought in a Lark Sparrow which had entered one of his traps during the afternoon. This is not a commonspecies in Benicia.

Lillian K. Henningsen Secretary

October: The Northern California Chapter of the WBBAmet Sunday, October 17, 1954 at the home of Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt in San Jose. The meeting was called to order at 11:45 a.m. with 22 membersand guests present.

A letter from a Mrs. H. L. Shumacherof Seattle regarding a band size for hummingbirdswas read. Mrs. Smith stated that she had received permission at one time to band hummingbirdsusing a size 0 band, cutting off the first two numbers and filing the edge. (She did not ever use the band however.)

Mrs. Enid Austin, our delegate to the International Ornithological Congress, gave a most interesting and informative talk on her travels and high points of the meeting. Membersregistered before the general meeting in Basil for different sections which met in five different areas. Mrs. Austin chose Genevawhich is in Western Switzerland. Amongthe membersin her group was Mr. W.B. Alexanderwho wrote "Birds of the Ocean". He is also an expert botanist. There were also banders from Denmarkand Germany. The General Meeting was held on the campus of the Univer- sity at Basil. The main theme of the meeting was "Migration". 32 countries were re- presented with about 600 people in attendance. Each chose the particular phase of the program he was most interested in. The meeting was very informative, and it was most interesting to meet manynotable banders. Most of the banders in Europe use nets. Very little bait is used in trapping birds. A Migration symposiumwas headed by Sir Lansborough Thompson,head of the British Trust for Ornithology'i After the meeting in Switzerland, Mrs. Austin visited the British Museumof Natural Histor,y. The reports from all the various countries were most interesting. The report from Russia showed advancement in Russian ornithology. It was given in French through an interpretor. The Russian delegates went on the field strips but did not talk during the trip. Secret service menwere close at hand at all times. These delegates knew only six hours before departure time that they were to be a part of the meeting. Swedish ornithologists on account of their geographical location have done a great deal of study on migration. They are also doing a great deal of work in trapping. Banders in E'Q.ropehave to b'Q.Yall of their ownbands. They do not have a central station to which to send their records. The British Trust controls banding in England, and they rec'eive the reports. In England they use a double band for water birds on account of the salt corosion. They also use a soft band for other birds, do not use pliers, but squeese them on, and they have no designated size. This type of band does not seem to damagethe tarsus. No satisfactory color bands are in use in Europe and they do not recommendthe use of color bands for any long term project because the colors do not hold. While in England, Mrs. Austin visited Monkshousein Northumberland in northern England. This station is run by the British Trust "WithDr. Emion in charge. Here students live in residence at a school of band- ing. They use all types of spring traps. Classes are given in plumage, anatomy and other phases of bird study, and after considerable work, they are given banding pe~ mits. There were thirty students there at the time Mrs. Austin visited. The Build- ings were constructed in the 1600 and were occupied by the monkswholived on the islands off-shore. Banders in England did not knowwhat hardware cloth is. They use a type of chicken wire, also a calapsible wire.

Mrs. Austin ended up her trip at Madison at the AOUmeeting where several mem- bers discussed what they had seen in Europe and it was a wonderful climax to the whole trip. The Inland Bird Banding Assn. held a meeting to discuss the new regime at Patuzant. Mr. Duvaul is now in charge of the Banding office. Mr. 'Seth Lowis nowworking as a biologist at the station.

Mrs. Otis Smith reported banding 10 Western Tanagers, which were probably at- tracted by ripe figs near a water drip. On September 15 she banded the first of 42 White CrownedSparrows. On October 4, the first of -25 Golden-crownedSparrows and on October 9, 1 Dwarf Hermit Thrush. TwoSpotted Owlswere reported to her near Alpine Damin Marin Co.

Bill Kirsher has been banding sparrow hawks and shrike. (21 hawks, 19 shrike). He has had fewer in comparison to trapping on earlier dates. He reported Chestnut- backed Chick-adees 3 miles above Whitehall in the American River canyon on Hiway #50, 15 or 20 miles above Placerville. There were about 15 birds and theywere seen in companywith Red-breasted Nuthatches and Black Throated Grey Warblers at an elev- ation of 3500 feet. They have apparently becomeestablished there, although they are not supposed to be in the Central Sierra region.

Mrs. Williams of Granit Station, Mrs. Lindsey's sister, was a guest at our meeting. She has been banding for five years at two locations east of Bakersfield. Her homestation is 20 miles east of Bakersfield and her summerhomeis about 16 miles from her homeplace, at an elevation of 3000 feet. Together Mrs. Lindsey and Mrs. Williams told of an unusual experience they had had at Mrs. Williams homegarden in August 1954. It was very hot and Mrs. Williams was watering in her garden shorts. Mrs. Lindsey was sitting in a garden chair relaxing. All of a sudden a lizard came running toward her in a frightened manner and then stopped. Whenshe got up to in- vestigate, she heard a rattle near by. She called to her sister who dropped the hose, ran in to put on long trousers and then she went to investigate under the myrtle bush. Using a spade, she killed the snake, and when they examined the lizard which was now dead, they found two fang marks on it. A little later on Mrs. Lindsey was walking dow.nthe road with the dog and she was startled when a snake fell out of a tree and coiled. Again Mrs. Williams killed a snake, but this time it proved to be a harmless gopher snake, but they mre taking no chances. The next morning when they examined the two headless snakes, it was difficult to distinguish the rattler from the gopher they were so nearly alike in markings. This was the first rattlesnake she has had in manyyears at her homeplace. Her summerplace which she called Lum.erouxis a paradise for hummingbirds. She suspends about 50 bottles of sUgar water on a wire between two trees and there have been from 150 to 200 hummersat one time. Black- chinned Hummersnest here. Annas nest at the homeplace. Allens come thru in July. Rufous comethru also. One year she had a Caliope. Orioles and Tanagers also love the sugar water. 1952 was her biggest year for hummers. MonoCreek is near, and this is thought to be a migration route. She had so manyinteresting stories to tell we could have listened for a long time.

The Argantes have received their Federal Permit to band birds. Mrs. Argante goes on a bird count to the Folson area every week. She had seen two Orange-crowned Warblers but no other warbler species.

Dr. Mewaldt described a water trap that he intends to construct. It is two feet around, has six pie shaped compartments and is about 10 inches high. While we were meeting at his homehe banded 20 birds. 6 Red-wingedBlackbirds, 1 GambelWhite- CrownedSparrow, 1 Immature Brewer Sparrow which had a brown eye with a yellow ring around it and the rest were Pugetensis White-crowns. One of the Redwingswas a re- peat which he had banded two weeks earlier.

Mrs. Brubakers White-crowned Sparrows come in 10 days earlier than Dr. Mewaldt's and she lives only about one half mile away. The first that came in last year were banded. This year none were banded. White-erowns comein before the Golden-crowns.

The Argantes, Miss Robbins and Miss Lola Erikson are newmembersof the North- ern California Chapter which now has 28 active members.

Lillian K. Henningsen Secretary

December: The Northern California Chapter of the WEBAmet at the homeof Mrs. Enid Austin in Oakland on Sunday, December19, 1954.

Mrs. Austin asked if we wanted to compile a 10 year index for the News. 1955 is the year in which it should be done. Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Grinnell agreed to assist in the work for the Northern chapter and it was suggested that we ask two people from the Los Angeles chapter to assist also. (Volume30 •.. Jan~ry 1955) 8.

President - William Kirsher Vice-president - Mrs. Otis Smith Secretary-Treasurer - Mrs. Florence Henderson

Mr. Otis Smith whowas absent from our Novembermeeting stated that he had had a successful outing having secured his limit. He displayed a new trap that he had made. Wewere all interested in the type of hardware cloth. It was 1/2 by 1 inch mesh and had been purchased at MontgomeryWards.

Mrs. Argante has had manyAudubonWarblers and bluebirds in her yard in Sacramento but has not trapped any. She reported observing manystarlings coming into the area this fall. On the way to Marysville she saw about 1000. They were also seen on the museumgrounds at the State Fair Grounds at Durhamon December18 and about 50 at Lake Washington. They have not yet becomeestablished as a breeding bird but seem to have becomeestablished as winter visitants. They are breeding however on the other side of the Sierra Cascade axis.

Mr. Steele had banded 6 Sparrow Hawks. He had a note from Wilbur Mayhewwho is nowat Riverside - at the University of California branch - where he is teaching Zoology. He expects to establish a trap line on the campus. As yet he has not found any good swallowcolcml.ea,but he has been told that there are some.

Mr. Larson has just returned from a nine months trip to Europewmre he saw manyinteresting birds. He reported that the Thrasher he had banded in January 1954, had ,been found dead 1 block away.

Mrs. Henderson has been so busy teaching she had not had her traps set since December6th. Howevershe had banded 22 birds since the last meeting; 11 Golden- crowned Sparrows amongthem. She had trapped meadowlarksusing walnuts as bait.

Mr.Stoner reported that he had not had manybirds in the area until last week. He had had several Audubon Warblers in one trap, and had banded 9 last week. While he was ill he made an individual file for every California permittee.

Mrs. Smith is nowusing ground suet as a bait. She has 3 new traps and al- together has 7 traps of various kinds. An AudubonWarbler banded on December2, 1950 was retrapped in November. OneGolden-crownedSparrow has repeated 29 times. She has many1950 returns coming in, in White-crowns and Golden-orowns. This has been a wonderful banding season this fall.

Mrs. Austin had hoped to bring a series of skins of Golden-crormed sparrows, but there were not enough in the series at the Museumto make it worth while. She has had manyreturns this year too mostly in Golden-erowns.

Bill Kirsher said that the pheasants which roost in the oaks in their yard made a terrible racket during the earthquake. Celeste heard the pheasants even before she felt the shake. Dogs also seem to notice earthquakes before humans. The Kirshers had been Sparrow Hawkbanding with the Argantes. Bill has not retrapped a single banded Sparrow Hawk. After they have been oaught once they will not even make another pass at the trap. They were going out to make a survey to see if any other birds were using the nests of the swallows under the bridg~s. Manybirds take shelter in old nests during the winter.

After a delioious lunoheon we had a most interesting study in observing live Golden-crowned Sparrows which had been brought to the meeting by Mrs. Otis Smith of Larkspur, Miss Emily Smith of Los Gatos and a oouple of White-crowns which Mrs. Henningsen brought. It was interesting to note that all of the Marin County birds did not have as muchgold in the head patterns as did those from Santa Clara County. Our group is most interested in following the changes in plumages of golden-orowns and we are going to follow this study during the winter season while the birds are around. All of the birds were released in Mrs. Austin's garden.

Lillian K. Henningsen Seoretary

~: At the Deoember19th meeting of the Northern California Chapter of the WBBAat the homeof Mrs. Enid Austin, 116 MandanaBlvd. in Oakland, several members brought live birds for study. After the meeting they were released in the garden. One of these birds, an immature GambelWhite-erowned Sparrow had been trapped that morning in the garden of Mrs. Harold p. Henningsen, Piedmont about one and one half miles from Mrs. Austins.

This bird was retrapped at the homestation two clays later on Deoember21, 1954 and again on January 4, 1955.

Mrs. Austin has had a number of the other birds trapped elsewhere and released at the meeting repeat in her traps. One Golden-crownedSparrow had repeated 10 times to January 6.

September: The Los Angeles Chapter of W.B.B.A.met at the homeof Miss Helen Pratt in Eagle Rock. The minutes of the August meeting were read by Miss Pratt "Who took them due to the secretary's absenoe in August.

Mr. Gardiner commentedupon the great number of Armaand Black-chinned H'UIIlIlling- birds at the feeder.·

Bill Webbafter two months of keeping food on the feeding table has only Jays, BrownTowheesand Titmice to report. Thelatter comefor oantalope seeds. Linnets are eating sage seeds on hillsides. TwoLong Tailed Chats have been seen there. The Jays carry bread away to bury and cover it with rocks or dirt. They also carry marbles. Quail and Thrashers are in the chapparel.

Bill Lofthouse who had been on a hiking trip in the high Sierras saw Northern Phalarope at 11,000 feet at Desolation Lake where there was no trees but some grass. A PygmyOwl sat on a rock next to their oampfire. Other birds seen were DuckHawks, Goshawks, Rufous H'UIIlIllingbird,Horned Lark, Mountain Bluebird, TownsendSolitaire, Rosy Finoh, White-GrownedSparrows, Red-tailed Hawks, Spotted Sandpiper and a King- fisher along a str.eam.

Mrs. Baltzar had seen Lazuli Buntings at 8,550 feet above the General Sherman grove in Sequoia. Red-tailed Hawks, Clarke's Crowand Violet-green Swallowswere also there in oompanywith several kinds of Warblers and Flyoatohers.

Mr. Boynton reported that the Pileolated Warblers were present and Orioles were gone. Robins are seen only oooasionally.

Miss Pratt's hummingbirdfeeders are bringing manyhummingbirdsand a .Lutesoent Warbler into her yard. During the meeting in her baokyard Band-tailed Pigeons and Tanagers oamealso.

Mr. Metzler told of two California Gulls mating and having two young in Mo- Arthur Park. One young has died but the other is growing.

Mrs. Boynton said a Lutescent Warbler and a Shrike had been in their yard be- sides the usual doves and pigeons.

Mr. Allen had observed a Lazuli Bunting around for about the last ten days. Orioles were very plentiful until about August 24. Nonehave been seen sinoe. A few Orange-orownedWarblers are around.

The meeting was adjourned after whioh delicious refreshments were served by the hostess. NEWSFROMTHEBIRDBANDERS Western Bird Banding Association 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

Mr. Karl E. Bartel, 2528 West Collins Street, Blue Island, Illinois. Potter and Government Sparrow types, i" mesh, all galv., painted to order. l-oell, 6ft x 12" x 9" high, $2.25 postpaid. ($2.50 west of Rockies; $2.75 in Canada). 2-oell, 11ff x 12" x 9" high, $4.75 postpaid. ($5.00 west of Rockies; $5.25 in Canada). Gov't Sp., 35tt x 18" x 12" high, $8.40 postpaid. ($8.90 west of Rockies; $9.15 in Canada).

Mr. Russel S. Davis, Glenhaven Bird Sanctuary, Clayton, Illinois. Glenhaven Standby with Potter type doors or Glenhaven Warbler with Chardonneret type top doors, in mesh, 8n cubical cells, trigger counterbalanced. 2-oell, $3.00; 4-ce11, $5.50.

For EMERGENCYSUPPLYOF BANDSaddress Mr. Emerson A. Stoner, 285 East L Street, Benicia, Calif. Tel. Benicia 160 (Note: All sizes are now available in the Emergency Supply)

For MEMBERSHIPANDDUES,address Mr. Francis Boynton, Business Manager, 163 W. State St., Pasadena 2, Calif.

Dues in lJIIBBAand Cooper Ornithological Society for various membership classes: WBBAassociate $2.00 COSactive $4.00 WBBAactive 2.00 COSsustaining 5.00 WBBAsustaining 5.00 COSlife 100.00 WBBAassociate & COSactive 5.50 WBBAassociate & COSsustaining $6.50 WBBAactive & COSactive 5.50 WBBAactive & COSsustaining 6.50 WBBAsustaining & COSactive 8.50 WBBAsustaining & COSsustaining 9.50 WBBALIFE $50.00 WBBA& COSLIFE $150.00 For dues including COS(except Life) add 25¢ for postage outside the U.S.A. Combination dues should be paid only to the WBBABusiness Manager.

Members are urged to subscribe to the quarterly Bird Banding, at $4.00 to members of WBBA(normal subscription $5.00). Please order directly from Richard M. Hinchman, 75 Fairbanks Road, Milton 86, Massachusetts. Issued Quarterly .by the Western Bird-Banding Association

* ~~ *i~ * Notice of the Annual Meeting 11 * * 1~ Walter Irving Allen - by * i~ Josephine R. Michener • II 1~ * 1~ AD.nual Banding Report 2)'· * i~ * -:~Commentary on 19.54 Annual Report by * ..~~ Howard L. Cogswell ...... 19 1~* 21 * * EDITORIALBOARDof the NEWS

Russell H. Pray -~------Editor President --.------Emerson A. Stoner Mrs. N. E. Ayer, Henry E. Childs, Jr., Box 444 ------Benicia, California Johnson A. Neff, Paul H. Steele Secretary ------Mrs. Harold C. "Austin 1116 Mandana Blvd. -- Oakland 10, cati!. Business Manager ---- Francis H. Boynton 163 W. State Street - Pasadena 2, Calif.

Address contributions to the NEWSto ~ssell H. Pray, 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

The Annual Meeting of the Western Bird-Banding Association will be held May15, 1955, at the hl;)meof Mr. and Mrs. Otis H. Smith, 207 Alexander Avenue, Larkspur, California. Lunqheon will be served at 12 :30 p.m.

From 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, the members are invited to visit the aviaries of Mr. Eric Kinsey, 155 Bothin Road, Manor, (near Fairfax) Marin County.

A business meeting with election ot officers for 1955 will follow the luncheon. MemberswiShing to present papers should notify President Stoner. Mr. Wallace Mac Gregor will show a short film on new methods of banding.

Mr. Donald McLean, Biologist of the California Fish and GameDepartment will present- his motion picture "Bighorn in California!' All banders are cordially invited to attend.

All Banqers attending the Annual Meeting of the Cooper Ornithological Society at AsiloJll8,r, Pacific Grove, California, April 21 - 23, 1955, are invited to meet during the 1unqheon hour at the banders' table in the main dining room.

WALTERIRVINGALLEN,1867-1955

Born in Bath, ~ngland, Mr. Allen was the fourth of the nine children of William . Allen, an exporter in Egypt who there married Emily Bell, a native of England. In 1879 Mr. William Allen bought the land which he named The Sphinx Ranch in what is now Altadena. To this home Walter Allen came when he had completed his years of English schooli~g. For seventy-one years he lived on this property, first in the twenty-room home ot his parents and later in the one he built at his marriage. In this, members of the Western Bird-Banding Association first knew him and his wife and daughter, Elizabeth. The spacious red house and the large oaks recall many meet- ings and discussions. After the death of his wife he and Elizabeth lived in this home until 1949 when they moved to one more suited to their needs across the street \ (Volume 30 ...April, 19,5) 12.

but still on Sphinx Ranch land. This atcmce assumed the meaning his presence gave and has equally happy associations fof Los Angeles Chapter members. Mr. Allen lived the history of Altaq~na. Spmeof us, in tim&s, past, walked 'up Eaton Canyon with him. He knew every turn of the stream. For twenty-!i ve years he had,been manager , first of the Precipice (Eaton) Canyon Water Co. and later of the Pasadena Consolidated Water Co. His deep interest in the USe and conservation of the water supply from this and all other sourCes Was based on lQng anq practical experience. For years he took care of much of the ranch business. Hew.as interested in collecting and preserving the deeds to the various parcels of land contained in the Sphinx Ranch. He was active in the Altadena Citizens Association and was on the Welfare Board of Altadena. He served for many years on the board of directors of La Vina Sanatorium.

Mr. Allen was a charter member of the Western Bird":Banding Association. As Councilor he was among those who drew up its constitution. He served for many years as custodian of the extra copies of the NEWS and w~en the Association made and sold traps he undertook the laborious and exacting task of packing'and sending these to purchasers at all distances. To this group he has always represented unselfish de- votion to its purposes and a 'wise and consider:ed approacn to 1ts every problem. He was President of the Los:A.ngel'esChapter for 'more than nine 'years~ His'lopgresi-. dence in Altadena as it grew from vineyard to city gave him an opportunityfoi' ;atudy of its bird life under changing conditions and this was supplemented by many years of banding. The results of his careful work were rarely offered for publication but enriched our banding meetings. over the years and were on some occasions given wider distribution. In the NEWS his account of nesting dates of Band-Tailed Pigeons estab- lished records of that activity in every month. Older members recall 'his attention to the parasitic habit of the Cowbird and its relation to the disappearance of 'the Western Gnatcatchers in his vicinity. Many other carefully recorded, facts 'o,:tb1rd, life were noted primarily as recreation and for his personal satisfaction Wi.'thno ' wish for recognition. Members of the Los Angeles Chapter could not subscribe to any eyaluation of his life that failed to mention his interest in many things re~ated to his bird study. The plant life, agriculture and water supply and especially weather of which he made a careful daily record were as habitually observed as the :birds' , that responded to them. His knowledge of the mountains behind his home was',¢xten;.- sive.

His occasional reminiscences were a delight to his friends. His deep: ihteres'i1 in Conservation was often expressed and he gave unusual and thoughtful consideration to its complexity. We are grateful for the years we had his judgment, his council, and his wisdom. The shadow of our personal loss will long remain.

Josephine R. Michener, March 14, i~55 ***~t-* From Casper, wyoming, on March 26th, C. R. Berry wrote: "I have be~n banding some Bohemian Waxwings lately, a few Juncos, Tree Sparrows, Flickers and Chickadees. We hav:ehad such a very late and severe spring I am won- ,dering what the effect will be on the migrants. It was below zero last night and 15 below the two nights previous to that. The Bluebirds are here altho in no great numbers as yet and hope they defer their coming for a while •. "We have a very nice chapter of the Audubon Society here and they are doing some very nice work. Will endeavor to get some of them to join the Western Bird Banding As- sociation." A card was received from Lt. Ron Reuther 'in France, where he is stationed about 60 miles west of Paris. An analysis of Bird-Banding Reports for the Year 1954 Within the Area of the Western Bird-Banding Association

Compiled by Einerson A. Stoner, Lillian K. Henningsen, Howard L. Cogswell and Enid Kaustin

••••'" ~ M 0 0 s:= 0 ~ 0 0 0 'n ..c: e ~ ~ bO ~ (/) 0 ~ I>a '" s:= ~ 0 'l"'I ft.l M 0 ~ 't1'" ::i 0 .~ (/) N •••• 0 ..c: ~ lIS ~ r-I ~ 1:: ~ ~ i (/) 'n !'l"'I M M ';! 0 't1 0 Q) Species :;! < /Xl 0 0 H :::llil :::llil ~ ~ l ~ ~ ~ Totals Horned Grebe 8 2 10 Eared Grebe 2 2 Pied-billed Grebe 2 2 Black-footed Al- ~~_batross 100 100 Laysan Albatross 337 337 _Wedge-tailed Shearwater 1 1- ~Bonin Island Petrel 387 387 Red-tailed Tropic _.~:l~ 100 100 ~White Pelican 269 269 Blue-footed .Booby 1 1 Brown Booby 1 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 1 Pelagic Cormorant 27 27 Frigate ...bird S. minor 1 1 Great Blue Heron 1 1 Green Heron 1 1 Snowy Egret 22 22 Black-orowned Night Heron 2 2 American Bittern 1 1 Whistling Swan 1 1 Canada Goose (large sub.sp.) 2924 41 1009 473 243 308 2 5000 Lesser Canada Goose 147 147 Cackling Goose 174 1 175 White-fronted Goose 1 1 Snow Goose 676 1 677 Ross Goose 16 16 Mallard 22 8023 904 132 13 80 6213 36 478 15901 qI 'M § r-l 0 0 s:: 0 () 0 .s:: .~ ~ :W..,.. ~ ~ Q) s:: ~ ~ .f! ~ qI ~ ::II 0 oM D:l N .p ..c.: 'g ~. ~ .. ClJ 'M ."j ~ ~ 1= ~ (I) 0 r-f J.t oM Q) J.t S ecies _"fl:, . &s .::IS ,~ ~ ,,:;2; 0 ~ ~ ~ Totals Gadwall 1 51 83 Pintail 244 353 11 1000 137 4 12478 Green-winged Teal 38 23 205 15 433 Cinnamon Teal 7 177 4 613 Cinnamon and/or Blue-winged Teal (IMM. ) 7 7 ShoV'eller 86 1 66 1 38 192 American Widgeon 68 1336 161 193 57 172 1 4 1992 Wood Duck :, 7 177 184 Redhead 101 26 36 1 164 Ring-necked Duck 8 2 4 14 CaIiV'as-back 25 95 5 125 Qreater Scaup 75 75 Lesser Scaup 109 1 ,32 142 Scaup species 294 294 COmmon Golden-€ye '2 2 Golden-eye, species 2 2 Barrow Golden-€ye 1 1 Bufflehead 23 1 24 Rudely Duck 83 6 89 Hooded Merganser 1 1 2 Turkey Vulture 8 8 White-tailed Kite 3 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 1 Cooper Hawk 27 27 Red-tailed Hawk 18 2 14 2 36 Ferruginous Hawk 4 7 11 Golden Eagle 6 1 1 1 9 Bald Eagle 1 1 Marsh Hawk 6 18 24 Prairie Falcon 9 1 10 Peregrin Falcon 1 1 Pigeon Hawk 1 1 Sparrow Hawk 146 6 1 15 1 169 Blue Grouse 5 5 Sharp-tailed Grouse 25 25 Bob-white 1 1 California Quail 187 4 191 Ring-necked Pheasant 1 1 Sandhill Crane 2 2 Florida Gallinule 3 3 American Coot 2036 28 409 1 2474 Black Oyster-catcher 5 5 Snowy PloV'er 5 5 ~ ~ r-f 0 0 s:I O~ 0 0 0 s::: .g ~ ell .s::: CIS "Q s::: II) ~ ell cd CD s::: l;f or! ft.t >- ]1 0 M ,g ~ ::II O~ (/) N ~ ..-l 0 ~ .s::: "I"l r-f II) ell OM ! ~ ~ Ii= ~ ~ M ~ 0 'tj'" 0 CD ~ >- ~ J:t 0 0 H ::II l2: ~ a ~ ~ Ii: Species ~ < i1 Totals Killdeer 16 1 3 20 Upland Sandpiper 1 1 Spotted Sandpiper 2 4 1 7 Dowitcher 3 3 Western Sandpiper 1 1 Wilson Phalarope 1 1 2 Glaucous-winged Gull 1101 1101 California Gull a.66 2,7 394 817 Bonaparte Gull 1 1 If'orsterTern 4 4 Least Tern , .5 Caspian Tern 800 800 COmmon Noddy .5 Common Murre 1 1 Band-tailed Pigeon 761 294 134 1189 Mcurntng Dove 926 524 5 10 16 14 1127 120 2742 Chinese Spotted Dove 48 48 White-winged Dove 1085 1085 Inca Dove 15 15 Roadrunner 1 2 3 Barn Owl 6 60 66 Screech Owl 1 7 4 2 1 15 Horned Owl 7 1 3 11 Elf Owl 1 1 Burrowing Owl 26 26 Short-eared Owl 18 18 Common Nighthawk 2 2 Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 1 Anna Hummingbird 3 3 Rufous Hummingbird 4 1 5 Calliope Hummingbird 1 1 Yellow-shafted Flicker .5 2 7 Red-shafted Flicker 35 14 3 3 2 3 8 1 69 Hybrid Flicker 7 1 8 Gilded Flicker 2 2 Pileated Wood- pecker 3 3 Gila Woodpecker 4 4 Acorn Woodpecker 2 2 Lewis Woodpecker 1 4 5 CIS oM j ~ CIS 0 ..-I g s=0 0 0"" ~ .c: f "0 CIS X bO CIS CI) 0 ~. ~ "~ 0 oM CH s=CIS o~ ~ 0 :i 0 ..Q o~ CI) tiI ~ ..-I 0 bO .c: CIS f °rl oM ~ i Ii: Q) CIS CI) H ';l 'C3 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ j:q 0 0 H ::i!l ::iiil <. ;: $ Totals Species ... :& .~ .. ~ ~ Yellow-bellied (Red-Breasted) Sapsucke:r 1 1 2 HairyWoodpecke:r 4 4 Downy Woodpecker 7 7 1 15 Western Kingbird 1 1 tsh-thro~tedFlycatcher 5 5 Black Phoebe 4 3 7 .Say Phoebe 3 4 12 Thrai11 Flycatcher 1 1 Hammond Flycatcher 1 1 Wright Flycatcher ~O 10 Western Flycatcher 8 8 Western Wood Pewee 6 14 20 Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 1 Horned Lark 2 2 4 Violet-green SWallow 26 13 4 4.3 Tree Swallow 2 .38 40 I3arnSwallow 41 5 16 24 86 Cliff Swallow 1860 . 96 1958 Purple Martin 2 2 Blue Jay 9 9 Gray (Canada) Jay 4 7 11 Steller Jay 1 13 2 , 8 29 Scrub (California) Jay 110 110 American Magpie 1 7 5 7 18 38 Yellow-billed Magpie 1 1 American Raven 14 i4 American Crow 1 2 3 Pinon Jay 2 2 Clark Nutcracker 2 2 Black-capped Chickadee 32 6 22 1 7 18 86 Mountain Chickadee 14 8 4 4 1 31 Chestnut-backed 6 24 12 42 Chickadee Plain Titmouse 81 81 Common Bush-tit 97 37 32 166 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 3 l3 18 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 2 9 13 Pigmy Nuthatch 13 13 Wren .•.tit 38 38 House Wl'$n 1 1 4 2 8 Winter Wren 1 1 Bewick Wren 1 20 21 Cactus Wren 4 5 9 ..-fcd j r-f 0 cd 0 ~ (.) 'n 0 0 ~ 0 'n ,f.) ~ J.i >< ~ lQ '0 ~ ~ cd ~ 0 ..-f tH 0 cd ~ 0 .cl .~ 4 N 'n a .g bO ~ cd ..-f ~ M ~ ~ Q) cd lQ J.i 'Cd 0 0 Q) J.i i ~ ' 'n :;l ~ j;Q (.) H :::IiI z ~• 0 ~ ~ Species 0 '=- ~ Totals Canyon Wren 1 1 Rock Wren 1 1 Catbird 4 4 Mockingbird 1 59 60 Brown Thrasher 9 9 Curved-billed Thrasher 7 7 California Thrasher 68 68 American Robin 102 108 40 6 49 1 14 10 53 26 409 Varied Thrush 29 7 22 58 Hermit Thrush 70 1 1 72 Russet-backed Thrush 10 9 1 1 21 Western Bluebird 6 6 12 Mountain ffiuebird 3 7 10 2 22 Townsend Solitaire 3 2 5 Bohemian Waxwing 12 1 13 Cedar Waxwing 48 1 49 Phainopepla 1 1 Loggerhead Shrike 42 1 43 Starling 83 83 Red-eyed Vireo 6 6 Warbling Vireo 8 3 11 Tennessee Warbler 1 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 6 21 2 29 Nashbille Warbler 13 13 Yellow Warbler 23 4 1 28 Myrtle Warbler 32 15 47 Audubon Warbler 5 47 505 1 6 564 Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 1 Townsend Warbler 2 2 Macgillivray Warbler 2 1 3 Yellow-throat 1 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 1 mack-capped (Pileolated) Warbler 12 2 14 House Sparrow 7 36 43 Western Meadowlark 34 8 1 43 Yellow-headed ffiackbird 43 43 Red-winged Blackbird 4 88 9 6 6 8 7 128 Tri-colored Blackbird 499 499 Hooded Oriole 1 20 21 ••••cd ~ ra cd 0 s::: 0 0 0 '8 0 ~ cd 'Q 1:0 ~ II) ~ ~ >a ~ 0 •••• 0 ~ :i 8 .~ II) t;j :::t ~ ..c:I ~ .; ~ i- cd oM ~ ..-l- ed ~-~ 11= II) M Qj 0 't:l i ~. ~ Totals Speci.es ~ < ~ 0 0 H ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ -: Ii: Bullock Oriole 42 42 Rusty Blackbird 3 J Brewer Blackbird 132 12 6 4 13 167 Purple (Bronzed) Grackle 58 58 Brown-headed Cowbird 7 348 1 356 Western Tanager 26 16 42 Cardinal 2 2 Black-headed Grosbeak 7 20 27 Blue Grosbeak 3 :3 Lazuli Bunting 4 4 Evening Grosbeak 278 45 37 360 Purple Finch 627 91 4 32 754 Cassin Finch 1 71 2 74 House Finch 27 662 1604 75 12 2 2 7 2391 Pine Grosbeak 15. 15 Pine Siskin 74 3 1 16 94 American Goldfinch 22 1 23 Lesser (Green-baCked) Goldfinch 40 40 IlawtenceGoldfiIlch 23 23 ·Green-tai1ed Towhee 3 1 4 Spotted Towhee 68 144 1 1 1 30 2 73 1 321 Brown Towhee 327 2 329 Sa:v-annahSpalTow 1 153 1 1 21 5 182 Vesper Sparrow 1 21 22 Lark Sparrow 36 7 43 Rufouslcrowned Sparrow 2 2 Sage (Bell) Sparrow 1 1 White-winged Junco 19 21 40 Slate-colored Junco5 1 3 34 .1 1 34 79 Oregon Junco includ- ing pink-sided 15 503 1247 310 22 63 16 77 6 464 2723 Gray-headed Junco 146 233 379 American Tree Sparrow 109 109 Chipping Sparrow .2 1 20 1 8 3 3 5 43 ·Brewer Sparrow 2 1 1 4 Harris Sparrow 2 2 White-crowned Sparrow 4 20 87 2955 76 4 10 1 6 26 28 136 3 3356 Golden-crowned Sparrow 15 112 1811 59 28 2031 White-throated .Sparrow 4 1 5 or-/ns

~ r-I 0 ns 0 s:: 0 0 0 "8 0 •.-1 ~ .1:: '0 ns H bO l>l ~ CO' ""0 ell ns ~ ~ 0 •.-1 0 ~ ::i g •.-1 .~ CO N ~ ~ .1:: bO .1:: a ell •.-1 ~ r-I ell ~ ~ ~ !l: ~ co ~ 0 '0 or-/ 0 Q) Q) ~ Species ~' c.t: (,) (,) e- Totals "" ~"" H ::aa ::il z z 0 ~ ;: i3= Fox Sparrow 1 U, 221 4 22 36j Lincoln Sparrow 1 1 ,3 34 1 2 3 1 96 Song Sparrow 1 199 336 2 3 22 , 127 69, Totals lOll 440, 23,9 932 622 10,28 1919 2118 43,1,9 1,,7 107, 34, 1041 8,0 Grand Total 71,921 Species 23 21 39 1,1 ,1 13 8 28 21 21 ,0 32 ,2 26 Total Reports 12, Total Species 22,

The accompanying tabulation of birds banded in the western North American area and Hawaii during 19,4 totals to the largest rmmberof species and individual birds ever reported in anyone year -- 22, species as comparedwith 214 during 19,3, and 71,921 individuals compared to 64,1,8 in 19,3. A total of 12, banders reported 1954 bandings, a slightly greater number than for any previous year. Nearly all the names of birds used in this tabulation are those designated as commonnames applicable to each species as a whole by Aldrich (AudubonField Notes, 4, 19,0: 36-39, 260). Other than the different sizes of Canada Geese, all birds listed here are by species only, and some banders may thus find birds which they reported as a particular subspecies grouped under an unexpected general name for the species as a whole. This was done, for example, with the Juncos, only the 4 species currently recognized in the A.O.U. check-list and supplements being used. The Houghs, at Boulder, Colorado, banded a good numbe,rof all four: 19 White-winged, 32 Slate-colored,' 285 Oregon (213 Pink- sided, plus 72 Shufeldt's), and 146 Gray-headed. Since the strict tabulation by political districts and banders does not reveal even all the really'interesting items in a- year of banding, someother commentsseem to be in order.

As seen in the table almost a thousand birds were newly banded on MidwayIslands; but, not shown in it, is a very worthwhile set of returns there, of which Mr. Neff says in an accompanying letter:

"Mr. DuMontand I caught, and read the bands on, 175 black-footed albatrosses and 77 Laysan albatrosses while on Midway,Nov. 6 to Dec. ,,1954. Most of the black- footed birds were banded by Sheehan in 19,1-19,2. Manyof the Laysan's were banded by Fred Haddenbetween November1938 and Feb., 1941. Only a few data sheets have as yet comeback from the Banding Office. A number of bands were replaced and those removed will have to be etched. Amongthe returns for Laysan albatrosses already received are a number of birds banded 16, 15, and 14 years, all of which were adult when banded, if we can trust the banding dates."

The full report of .this operation will be watched for with great interest .by those interested in longevity records, band permanence, and regularity of the birds at a particular nesting area. .

lUso two ·birds banded by Robert Pyle in the Hawaiian Islands do not appear in the table because, despite special care in captivity, they died before they could be released in suitable habitat,. These were a White Tern and a Newell's Shear- water, the latter a species long,thought to be extinct. . . ,At Juneau, Alaska, Ralph Williams traps a number of the species commonlyob- t.ained by banders far to the southward during the winter; e.g. , Oregon and Slate- colored Ju.ncos,Gamb~l' s White-crowned and Golden-qrowned Sparrows. Wefervently' hope for some mutual recoveries of his and our banded birds.

William Hughes' very active work at Vancouver, B.C., included 4 Rufous and 1 Ca.l.liope Hummingbirdbanded (dexteri ty plus!), and also 278 Evening Grasbeaks, 662 House Finches, 627 Purple Finches, 74 Pine Siskins, and a number of warblers. At Cynthia Island, in ;HoweSound north of Vancouver, he banded 1000 Glaucous-winged Gulls and 27 PelagicCorrg.orants, and even reported a. Great Blue Reron also, thus running the gamut from smallest to near largest of North American birds.

As we have cometo expect, the report from Eric Campbell Kinsey (Manor, Calif.) includes a number of species difficult, to trap or seldom banded: 3 Pileated Wood- pecls;er::.s,a Phainopepla,andnine kinds of warblers (19 Orange-crowned, 7 Audu'b9n's, 5 Black-:capped, J YellOW,and. 1 each of Tennessee, Myrtle, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's,and Macg,illivray' s ).

The .Cliff $wallow project iIl Sacramento Valley has abated somewhat this year, one of the participants (Mayhew)haVing moved to Riverside in southern California. However, he travelled to the area and banded 469, and Kirsher and others cooperating with him brought their total t.o 1827.

Certain species were banded in unusually high numbers, or'at new locations: 22 SnowyEgrets, 18 Marsh Hawks, and 18 Short-eared Owls in colorado by Fleetwood; a total of 5323 Canada Geese (at least four races represented), up more than 50% over the last several years; 184 WoodDucks, chiefly by Oregon Fish and GameDept.; 7 Ferruginous Hawksat Casper, Wyoming,by Berrey; many California Gulls in Wyoming and Utah, as formerly, plus 166 banded on July 13 in Teton County, Montana, by Moos, 1 of which was recovered dead on October 18 atWhi teRock, B.C.; Caspian Tern, total number (all in Calif .)nearly doubled last year and again this year, with 196 banded at Dumbarton Bridge, San Francisco Bay (McCarty, Cogswell) and 604 at San Diego Bay (Gallup); Mourning Dove, total of 2738 compared to only 384 in 1953; White-winged Dove, 1085 in 1954, only 13 in 1953; Barn Owl, 6 at Sea Island, B.C., by Hughes; 499 Tri-colored Blackbirds and 336 Cowbirds near ButtonWillow, Calif., by Hutson; 45 Evening Grosbeaks and 71 Cassin's Finches at Boulder, Colorado, by the Houghs.

Among'other species regularly banded in numbers decided increases were shown by White-crowned Sparrow, Qolden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Audubon"s Warbler, Coot, Sparrow Hawk, Scaup Duc.ks, Shoveller ,Mallard and CinnamonTeal. Decreases were noted in Band-tailed Pigeon, Ruddy Duck, Redhead, Green-winged Teal, Pintail, Cliff Swallow, Brown.Towhee, and Song Sparrow. The following species are either unusual or new on the list of birds banded in the West: 2 Sandhill Cranes and a Barrow's Golden-eye at College, Alaska, by Kessel; Bald Eagle at Yellowstone Park, Wyoming,by Condon; Pigeon Hawkat Roosevelt, Utah, by Killpack; 5 Blue Grouse and 25 Sharp-tailed Grouse at Wenatchee, Wash., by Zwickel; 5 Black Qyster~catchers at Race Rocks, B.C., by Odlum; Upland Sandpiper at Billings, Montana, by Moos; Bonaparte Gull at Blaine, Wash., by Mrs. Kline; Elf Owl, Black- chinned Humnrl.ngbird,and 2 Anna's Hummingbirdsby Don Bleitz, Hollywood, Calif.; Anna's Hummingbirdat Pacific Palisades, Calif., by Mrs. Romig; Rufous Hummingbird and Olive-sided flycatcher at Seattle, Washington, by Mrs. Schumacher; 2 Gilded flickers at Tempe, Ariz., by the Birchetts; (Red-breasted) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker near Seattle, Wash., by Ransom, and another at Piedmont, Calif., by Mrs. Henningsen; 10 young Wright's Flycatchers color banded and future study planned in San Bernar- dino Mts., Calif., by Goodman;2 Townsend's Solitaires and 2 Pinon Jays at Devil's Tower, Wyo., by Grace McIntyre; 12 Bohemi'anWaxwingsand 15 Pine Grosbeaks at Libby, Mont., by Rogers; BohemianWaxwingat Roosevelt, utah, by Killpack; 3 Blue Grosbeaks in San Diego Co., Calif., by Gallup; 23 Lawrence's Goldfinches, 2 Green-tailed Tow- hees, and a Bell's Sparrow at La Canada, Calif ., by Webb.

Most unusual of all, and a bird that would certainly have been counted as 2 or 3 had it not been banded, was a Blue-footed Booby found by Mrs. Rumble in Pasadena, California, and banded by Pat Gould who writes: "It had run into a telephone wire and had a scar on its forehead. It was then taken to the San Gabriel River Wild- life Sanctuary for a few days to recover. On September 17, 1954, I banded it, no. 527-89561. It was taken down to Playa del Rey, L.A. County, and released. I re- ceived notice that the Booby was picked up September 19, 1954, at Hermosa Beach, L.A. Co., by Mr. D. R. Tucker, U.S.C.G., San Pedro. It had crashed onto Hermosa Beach, in an exhausted condition. It was released. The Boobywas picked up a second time on September 21, 1954. It was again found on shore at Hermosa Beach in an exhausted condition by Mr. David H. Brown, Marineland <;>fthe Pacific, Palos Verdes Drive, South Portuguese Bend, California. I went down to the aquarium and found it sitting on a float on the top of the open air tank. They planned to release it when it got better. I have not been able to find out anything more about it. I do not know the age or sex of the bird but it was in a transition plumage."

HowardL. Cogswell Department of Biological Sciences Mills College Oakland 13, California

Anderson, Anders H. 3221 E. Kleindale Road Tucson, Arizona 1 1 Arizona Gameand Fish Arizona State Department Phoenix, Arizona 1993 2 Dept. (Wendell G. Swank) Austin, Mrs. Enid K. 1116 MandanaBlvd. Oakland 113 12 Ayer, Mrs. N. Edward 1300 Hillcrest Drive Pomona 92 10

Baker, Mrs. Cora 5111 42nd Street Sacramento 67 8 Ball, MerVYnL. 3932 Telegraph Bay Rd. Victoria, British Col. 68 8 Ba1tzar, Mrs. Evelyn 9921 Overest Whittier 19' 5 Behle, William H. University of Utah Sal t Lake City, Utah 257 9 Biology Division Berry, C. R. Box 220 Casper, Wyoming 29 6 Birchett, Mrs. Jas. T. 202 East 7th Street Tempe, Artzona li8 20 Bleitz, Donald L. 2047 Castilian Drive Hollywood 276 22 Bohl, Wayne H. 1416 South 1st St. Tucumcari, New Mexico 14 1 Burkhart, Mrs. Harriet Route 3 Union City, Penn. Banded in California 8 .5 Cade, Tom J. 526 Gayley Avenue Los Angeles 24 34 1 Cady, Walter G. 3350 Calvert Road Pasadena 8 117 10 California Department 926 J. Street Sacramento 26,.579 22 of Fish & Game CF. M. Kozlik and Assistants) Carver, Mrs. Mona J. Box 245 Glennville 249 9 Childs, Henry E. Jr. Compton College Compton 21 7 Cogswell, Howard L. Mills College Oakland 13 173 13 Collier, Gerald 3634 No. Muscatel Ave. Rosemead 2 1 Colorado Game & Fish 1530 Sherman Street Denver 1, Colorado 923 13 Condon, David de L. Box 117 Yellowstone Park, Wyo. 682 6 Cowan, John B. PO Box 295 Gridley li2 2 Crawford, Gene H. PO Box 854 Merced 36 4 Cunningham, John D. 112.5-C16th St. Santa Monica .5 1

Deer Flat Nat. Wildlife .586 4 Refuge Dix, Mrs. Myrtle V. 509 Esgar Ave. Modesto 77 7 Drummond, Charles T. Box 93, Route 1 Montague 3 3 Duff, C. V. and J. V. 1922 Tamarind Ave. Hollywood 1.5 6 Banded in Washington 11 2 1472 Eskridge Way Olympia, Washington 37 .5

Eddy, Garrett 4.51.5Ruffner st. Seattle 99, Washington 290 16 Ehmann, George C. 809 Central Bank Bldg. Oakland 63 2 Elder, A. W. 1.503Federal Bldg. Los Angeles 12 10 1 Erickson, Mary M. and 3.50.5Foothill Road Santa Barbara 82 1.5 Frank M. Evenden, Fred G. 1336 Fitch Way 16.5 22

Feltes, Charles H. 427 Myrtle Avenue Modesto 438 18 Fischer, Rudolph 215 E. Foothill Blvd. La Verne 7 4 Fleetwood, Raymond J. 326 No. 6th Street Socorro, New Mexico .5.5 10 Banded in Colorado 372 li Ft. Peck, Montana 13 1 Gallup, Fred N. 784 21 Gillespie, John A and Mabel L. Glenolden, Pennsylvania Banded in California 63 4 Goodman, John D. Cedar Crest Cabin Fallsvale 12 3 Gould, Patrick 12137 Redberry El Monte 49 12 Gross, Merle R. 18 Crawford ct. Santa Rosa 43 7 Gullion, Gordon W. 644 Oak Street Elko, Nevada 29 7

Hatton, Mrs. Louise M. 200 Calera Canyon Rd. Salinas 69 11 Hawes, William D. Rt. 2, Box 307.5 Marysville 143 12 Henderson, Mrs. Ray N. 6000 Sacramento Blvd. Sacramento 20 429 16 Henningsen, Mrs. Lillian 124 Cambridge Way Piedmont 11 673 17 Hough, John. and Eleanor 1515 Mariposa Avenue Boulder, Colorado 735 16 Hughes, Wm. M. 8755 s. W. Marine Drive Vancouver 14, British Columbia 4231 37 112 Agriculture Hall University of California Berkeley 4 14 4 P.o. Box 1564 Bakersfield 1013 22

Idaho Fish & Game Dept. (Robert L. Salter)

Jackson, William B. Box 7104 Phoenix, Arizona 6 2 Johnston, Richard F. University of California ,Berkeley 4 39 1 Juskiewicz, Frank 306 State Street Sterling, Colorado 307 15

Kaminsky, Mrs. Muriel 1213 Robertson Way Sacramento 63 8 Kessel, Dr. Brina University of Alaska College, Alaska 962 14 Killpack, Merlin L. Union High School Roosevelt, Utah 153 18 Kilpatrick, Mrs. Helen L. 1889 Orchard street Eugene, Oregon 43 12 Kinsey, Eric C. P. O. Box 76 Manor 195 47 Kirsher, William K. 2520 Marconi Avenue Sacramento 859 22 Kline, Mrs. Lucile H. Rt. 1, Box 120 Blaine, Washington 285 13 takata, George D. 1025 Cedar Street Wasco 305 10 Larson, Gunnar J. 2172 Oregon Street Berkeley 5 23 7 Legg, Ken 2531 W. Cliff Drive Santa Cruz 214 11 Lindsey, Mrs. Helena 1405 Grant Street Berkeley 123 12 Linsdale, Jean M. and Mary Ann 1254 27 McIntyre, Mrs. Grace Devils Tower, 139 17 Mack, William E. 2345 Brush Creek Rd. Santa Rosa 61 8 McCarty, John D. Jr. 1021 E. 21st Street Oakland 347 12 Mayhew, Wilbur W. University of California Riverside 470 2 Div. of Life Sciences Merkel, Dalton and Nancy 501 E. Pedregosa Street Santa Barbara 55 12 Merkel, Nathan M. Box 61 Condon, Oregon Banded in Washington 5 2 Mewaldt, L. Richard 4150 Golf Drive San Jose 27 353 16 Steve Herman & Jim Adamson Minidoka National Wild- life Refuge Rt. 1 Rupert, Idaho 9 2 Moos, Louis M. Box 1342 Billings, Montana 181 6 Mowbray, M. Vincent 979 - 48th Street Los Alamos, New Mexico 276 10 Neff, Johnson A. Bldg. 45, Federal Center Denver, Colorado with Philip A. Dumont Wildlife Research Lab. F. & W.S., Washington Banded on Midway 932 Norby, Leroy Bremerton, Washington 38 Race Rocks Lightstation % B.C. Pilotage Victoria, British Col. 106 Box 43 Courtland 24 Oregon state Game P. O. Box 4136 Commission (Chester E. Kebbe)

Claremont Banded in Montana 109 6 Payne, Donald E. % Hospital Hood River, Oregon 58 13 Porter, Richard D. 531 Denver Street Salt Lake City, Utah 91 4 Pray, Russell H. 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7 835 16

Raitt, Ralph J. University of California Berkeley 4 97 1 Ransom, Webster H. 9676 Evergreen Drive Bellevue, Washington 554 28 Banded in Montana 24 5 Rich, C. Selwyn 114 Champion Place Alhambra 9 2 Richardson, Carl Trail, Oregon 157 12 Richardson, Walter L. Rt. 3, Box 1034 Porterville 58 5 Robbins, Lynn Stanford University Stanford 262 17 Roest, Aryan I. 442 E. lOth Street Bend, Oregon 18 3 Rogers, Thomas 1306 Dakota Avenue Libby, Montana 263 23 Romig, Mrs. Agnes B. 351 Alma Real Drive Pacific Palisades 98 14 Ryder, Ronald A. 1471 Race Street Denver, Colorado 10 5 Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Willows 689 2 Schultz, Mrs. ZelIa M. 22809 W. 53rd Avenue Edmonds, Washington 31 7 Schumacher, Mrs. Della 7027 Sycamore Avenue Seattle, Washington 39 10 Smith, Miss Emily D. 19651 Glen Una Drive Los Gatos 230 12 Smith, Mrs. Otis H. 207 Alexander Avenue Larkspur 475 24 Smith, Walton A. 964 Via Verde Monterey 22 6 Snyder, Leon C. Bowdoin Refuge Malta, Montana 485 3 Squire, Cleon A. Box 91, Station A Bakersfield 17 4 Steele, Paul H. Box 935 Sacramento 628 4 Stillwater Wildlife Management Area Box 592 Fallon,Nevada 593 8 Stoner, Emerson A. 285 East L Street Benicia 437 13 Swinehart, D. B. Jr. 2109 Juanita Lane Sacramento 14 4 Thompson, Charles G. 587 Arlington Avenue Berkeley 510 17 Thomssen, Mrs. Richard M. 56 Avon Road Berkeley 7 104 11 Trousdaie, Mrs. H. K. 5932 La Salle Avenue Oakland 339 13 Turnbull National Wild- life Refuge 479 5 604 East C. Street 87 9 Ward, Walter P. 148 Euclid Avenue Los Gatos 37 5 Webb, William G. 5146 Oakwood Avenue La Canada 778 33 Williams, Mrs. Will Granite Station via Bakersfield 308 18 Williams, Laidlaw O. Route 1, Box 152 Carmel 3,77 8 Williams, Ralph B. P. O. Box 2354 Juneau, Alaska 49 9 Wilson, Vanez T. Bear River Refuge Bingham, Utah 540 8 Winter, Frank C. 904 N. Rexford Drive Beverly Hills 107 13 Wood, Sherwin F. 1015 No. Alexandria Ave. Los Angeles 29 1 1 Yocom, Charles F. Humboldt State College Arcata 474 19 Zwickel, Fred Rt. 4, Box 4113 150 3 NEWS FROM THE BIRD BANDERS Western Bird Banding Association 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

Mr. Karl E. Bartel, 2528 West Collins Street, Blue Island, Illinois. Potter and Government Sparrow types, i" mesh, all galv., painted to order. I-Cell, 6" x 12" x 9" high, $2.25 postpaid. ($2.50 west of Rockies; $2.75 in Canada). 2-Cell, lIltx 12" X 9" high, $4.75 postpaid. ($5.00 west of Rockies; $5.25 in Canada). Gov't Sp., 35" x 18" x 12" high, $8.40 postpaid. ($8.90 west of Rockies; $9.15 in Canada).

Mr. Russel S. Davis, Glenhaven Bird Sanctuary, Clayton, Illinois. Glenhaven Standby with Potter type doors or Glenhaven Warbler with Chardonneret type top doors, iltmesh, 8" cubical cells, trigger counterbalanced. 2-cell, $3.00; 4-cell, $5.50. ,

For EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF BANDS address Mr. Emerson A. Stoner, 285 East L Street, Benicia, Calif. Tel. Benicia 160 (Note: All sizes are now available in the Emergency Supply) For MEMBERSHIP AND DUES, address Mr. Francis Boynton, Business Manager, 163 W. State St., Pasadena 2, Calif.

Dues in WBBA and Cooper Ornithological Society for various membership classes: WBBA associate $2.00 COS active $4.00 WBBA active 2.00 COS sustaining 5.00 WBBA sustaining 5.00 COS life 100.00 WBBA associate & COS active 5.50 WBBA associate & COS sustaining $6.50 WBBA active & COS active 5.50 WBBA active & COS sustaining 6.50 WBBA sustaining & COS active 8.50 WBBA sustaining & COS sustaining 9.50 WBBA LIFE $50.00 WBBA & COS LIFE $150.00 For dues including COS (except Life) add 25¢ for postage outside the U.S.A. Combination dues should be paid only to the WBBA Business Manager.

Members are urged to subscribe to the quarterly Bird Banding, at $4.00 to members of WBBA (normal subscription $5.00). Please order directly from Richard M. Hinchman, 75 Fairbanks Road, Milton 86, Massachusetts. July, 1955

About Banding in Europe by Charles H. Blake

-:~ Crown Markings in the Golden-Crowned Sparrow 28 ~~ :~ by Emerson A. Stoner ~~ Russell H. Pray ------Editor President ------Emerson A. Stoner Mrs. N. E. Ayer, Henry E. Childs, Jr., Box 444 ------Benicia, California Johnson A. Neff, Paul H. Steele. Secretary ------Mrs. Harold C. Austin 1116 Mandana Blvd. -- Oakland 10, Calif. Business Manager ---- Francis H. Boynton 163 W. State Street - Pasadena 2, Calif.

Address contributions to the NEWS to Russell H. Pray, 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

The 30th Annual Meeting of the Western Bird-Banding Association was held at 207 Alexander Ave., Larkspur, California, with thirty-one members and guests present.

Before luncheon with Mr. and Mrs. Otis Smith in Larkspur, the members visited the aviaries of Mr. Eric Kinsey in Manor, Marin Co. These aviaries consist of large and small cage enclosed trees and shrubs, making the best possible habitats for the wild birds within. Mr. and Mrs. Kinsey are skilled aviculturists and are licensed to carryon an experimental station in this field. They also operate traps outside the aviaries and have been banders for many years. At 12:30 Mr. and Mrs. Smith were luncheon hosts in their patio. At 2 p.m. the meeting was called to order by President Stoner.

Mrs. Hilda Grinnell, as Chairman, reported for the Nominating Committee. The present officers had accepted the committee's invitation to serve for another term. Mr. Otis Smith acted as temporary chairman while the following slate was presented.

Emerson A. Stoner Howard L. Cogswell Russell H. Pray William K. Kirsher Lillian Henningsen Secretary . Enid K. Austin Business Manager & Treasurer •. Francis H. Boynton There being no nominations from the floor, a motion that the secretary cast a unan- imous ballot for the nominees was made, seconded and carried. Mr. Stoner resumed the chair and tendered a vote of thanks to both Mr. and Mrs. Kinsey and Mr. and Mrs. Smith for their cordial reception.

Mr. Wallace MacGregor showed a short film IIUpland Game Birdsll which demonstrated the use of "guzzlers," as a source of water for game birds. Mr. Donald D. MacLean, Biologist of the Calif. Fish .and Game Dept., presented his original motion picture "Bighorn in California."

Discussion on the new directive for MOurning Dove banding was held. Members were urged to band as many as possible.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 12 MONTHS ENDING APRIL 1, 1955 INCOME Cash as of 4-1-54 News Expenses --rB,000 sheets paper 43.70 Income from dues Printing 213.94 1954: 19 @ 2.00 38.00 Mailing 19.19 1 @ L50 1.50 Annual Reports 145 @ 2.00 290.00 2000 forms printed 34.32 1 @ 1.75 1.75 Stamped env. 6.67 3 @ 1.50 4.50 7 @ 5.00 (SUST) 35.00 Registration fee for Mrs. Austin as delegate to Con- 1956: 1 @ 2.00 2.00 vention of International LIFE 1 @ 50.00 50.00 Ornithologists Total 862.56 To President Stoner Postage, etc. Cash as of 4-1-55 - 457.00 Mimeographing 200 invitations Cash as of 4-1-54' - 439.81 and applications 9.05 Net increase - 17.19 600 #8 env. stamped & printed- 3¢ 29.03 Collected and paid out 1000 letterheads printed 16.17 for C.O.S. $375.50 2 boxes Duplistickers 1.49 Total 405.56 Cash as of 4-1-55 457.00 862.56

Frank H. Boynton Business Manager

No. Species Bushwitz, Henr,vW. 451 Jonquil Santa Ana, Calif. 7 3 Fowle, J. T. R.R. #2 Vernon, B. C. 127 11 Guild, Eugene R. Box 548 Glenwood Springs, Colo. 19 6, Wilkins, Geo. R. Skwentna, Alaska 25 10 ADDITIONAL SPECIES Alaska British Columbia Colorado Total Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 2 Herring Gull 1 1 Short-billed Gull 2 2 Horned Owl 1 12 Traill Flycatcher 4 5 Violet-green Swallow 2 6 51 Tree Swallow 11 51 Barn Swallow 5 91 American Magpie 1 39 House Wren 10 18 Catbird 6 10 American Robin 1 410 Russet-backed Thrush 6 27 (Incl. Olive-backed and Swainson) Lazuli Bunting 1 5 Redpoll 2 2

NEW 1954 TOTALS Alaska 1036 British Columbia 5432 Colorado 2378 Grand Total 72,099 Species 32 Species 44 Species 53 Species Total 228 Total Reports 129

Perhaps it would help if I review very briefly the conclusions that I came to in Europe. I talked at some length with Schifferli in Sempach, with Kuhk and Zink at Radofzell, with Lack and Parrinder in England, the latter took us down to Dunge- ness, and with Etchecopar in Paris. He is the new head of the French scheme. We also had a day with Kluijver in Holland. There is certainly a good deal of local diversity. SChifferli feels that the separate banding schemes have publicity value. There is, in my opinion, too much concentration of the effort during the major mi- gration periods and failure to recognize the extent to which general information can be obtained by year-round programs at fixed points. Banders tend to wander around after the birds. Their techniques seem relatively simple compared with ours in the sense that only a few kinds of apparatus are used. The predisposition to the use of nets eVidently cuts down winter banding.

On the other hand, they are ahead of us at least locally in certain respects. Use of deooys in Holland is highly specialized and apparently rewarding. The Euro- pean banders are better than we are on the average in the knowledge of ages and sexes. Weighing and measuring is almost routine at some large stations. There is more attention paid to determining the competency of the bander before he starts work. This is done by having him actually work with an experienced bander either locally or at the central station. Their record keeping is simpler than ours since the schedules are by band number instead of species which simplifies locating the use of a given band. One English concern is producing what appear to be very good colored celluloid bands. I have used a few and the results so far are very satis- factory. In spite of the comment above about concentration on migrants, there is much to be said in favor of stations at carefully selected concentration points where large numbers of migrants can be taken. Such stations should have fixed installa- tions, such as Helgoland traps, and provision for long net lines. Naturally this means competent personnel, either paid or volunteer. The geography of the British Isles is especially favorable for such stations.

Charles H. Blake Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge 39, Mass. 15 March 1955

During the winter meetings of the Northern California Chapter of the Western Bird-banding Association it developed that quite a few banders are misinterpreting the crown color patterns in Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia coronata) in de- termining age and sex in this species.

As a result, the chapter has set up a project to study crown color variations in this species during the banding period for Golden-crowns, usually from mid-Sep- tember to early May of each year. Some progress has been made during the past winter.

Mr. William Kirscher of Sacramento has taken several color slides of crown patches of Golden-crowns, identifying each slide with the band number and the date banded or recaptured. It appears that this is an excellent method to aid the pro- ject and we hope Mr. Kirscher can obtain a series of slides showing the crown changes during a season and from season to season.

Mrs. Enid K. Austin of Oakland has referred members to Mr. Joseph Mai11iard's illustrated article in Condor, XXX, 1932, p. 69 on this subject. Mr. Mai11iard con- cludes that the Golden-crowned Sparrow does not attain fully adult head markings until the third post-juvenile molt.

Mrs. Otis H. Smith of Larkspur has presented her systems of numbering the dif- ferent types of crowns which she started as early as January 1st, 1934, and revised on December 12, 1951. As these two numbering systems should be very useful to any- one interested, they are listed below as her contribution to this study project. She recommends also, in addition to the recording of crown types, that a record be made of stages of crown shedding, pronounced spotting, etc.

1. Gold shot through with brown, - evenly. 2. Short brown line s showing. 3. Black lines showing, but short, - up to 1/3". 4. Black lines long, but no clear gold showing. 5. Black lines long, with gold over eye. 6. mack lines clear, gold half way back. 7. Black lines strong and clear, full spring gold. Mrs. smith's numbering system used from December 12, 1951 to date: 1. No brown or black lines, crown shot through with gold. (a) Gold at front only. 2. Brown lines showing, shot through with gold. (a) Brown lines full length. 3. Black lines up to 1/3" long, shot through with gold. 4. Black lines at least half length of crown, crown gold at least half way back. 5. Black lines, half way to full length, crown gold half way to full. (a) Crown full brilliant gold, black lines complete (before spring migration). (b) Crown full but duller gold, with full black lines (in fall). We are hoping Mrs. Smith will analyze her accumulated data on Golden-crowns and present at a future date some significant statements regarding any individual birds which have returned consistently over a period of years.

Any members interested in the project are invited to contact any of those re- ported herein as already engaged in the studies.

The wife and I went for a trip and some work to the Cariboo district. Return- ed last night. Weather has been cold and raw and our spring has been about three weeks late. Trees and bush in the Cariboo are just leafing out.

Bird life has been poor but my neighbor, Mrs. Speechly, spotted a Baltimore Oriole about three weeks ago and three or four of our Nature Club were lucky enough to be able to go down and see it. I was able to get lvlr.Manso to come up from Okanagan Landing and identify it for record purposes, as it is only the second rec- ord for British Columbia. One for Chilliwack several years ago, about 200 miles west and south of here. It was a beautiful male in full plumage. Long-tailed Chats, uncommon near the border south of here, have been showing up in the Indian Reserve on Okanagan Lake and I saw 5 males about 10 days ago. Two years ago I saw 2 about a mile from where these 5 were.

Bird life around here (my home place) is becoming very scarce due to very large changes in habitat, civilization, building, etc. Progress! Necessary, no doubt, but I hate to see it. Long-billed Curlew that used to nest (4pr.) about a mile from he~e haven't shown up for 6 years, and some 20 pairs at the head of Okanagan Lake have dwindled to about 8 pairs at most. Redstarts, of which I used to have at least 3 pairs nesting on my property, I haven't even seen 1 pair through here. One fairly new and unwanted arrival is the European Starling. About 3 years ago a few were reported from various locations in the valley. Already we can count them up in the hundreds on a day's census taking. In a few years, I suppose, they will have taken over to the loss of our native species unless we can get some real action. Shooting off the odd pair doesn't seem to help much. I am doing practically no banding partly for the lack of time but chiefly because there is nothing to band. I had 9 traps out for 2 days and caught ~ Song Sparrow. Major J.T. Fowle R.R. 2 Vernon, B.C. (Not dated. Mailed in late June. Ed.)

Had the good fortune to trap and band a white-throated sparrow near home a couple of months ago. Wrote it up for the MURRELET since there have been but about 8 or 9 reported occurrences in State of Washington.

Webster H. Ransom 9676 Evergreen Drive Vuecrest, Bellevue, 'Ivash. February 9, 19.55

I am at Paonia, Colorado, now and have re-established my banding station here. One return which was rather interesting to me was a Pink-sided Junco that I banded on Nov. 26, 19.51. I retrapped this individual on Feb. 23, 19.5.5.The bird is at least 3~ years old, but is the only return of about 170 Juncos banded that year. Homer V. Griffin Paonia, Colorado April 4, 19.5.5

To begin, I was for a number of years an active member of the Pennypack Valley Bird Club in Philadelphia, Pa. I acted as treasurer and publicity chairman of this Club for a few years. It was through my interest in the Club that I started band- ing in Philadelphia. I relocated to the west coast in JUly 19.54and again took up my banding oper- ations. I banded my first bird in California on Nov. 4th and for the past three months have banded 4.56birds.

House Finch 29 Golden Crowned Sparrow 1 American Goldfinch 3 Chipping Sparrow .54 Savannah Sparrow 2 Oregon Junco 9 Lark Sparrow 23 Audubons Warbler 212 Gambels Sparrow 119 English Sparrow .4

I feel the number of Audubon Warblers is quite significant when compared to the number banded nationally. I do most of my banding on weekends in an area of about .50foot square in my back yard. The most astonishing thing is that there is no cover for the birds there, although I maintain two large feeding stations and a bird bath that is visited all day long. Although my banding operations are small and limited I would be more than happy to welcome any banders or bird enthusiasts visiting in this area.

I have trapped all the birds I banded in four traps, 1. Seth Low trap; 2. Mason trap; 3. Six trap; 4. Drop trap (operated from house).

The "repeats" have been numerous. I have a few "trap happy" Gambels sparrows and Audubon Warblers.

George D. Lakata 1025 Cedar Street Wasco, California February 6, 1955

I gave a report at the March (chapter) meeting on my Meadowlark banding and it was suggested that you might like my notes for the news. I send them along up to date.

I have banded 32 meadowlarks as follows: 1 - 1950; 1 - 1951; 7 - 1953; 18 - 1954; 5 - 1955. Thirteen have repeated at least once, 4 returned.

Repeated once - 3 " twice - 4 " three - 3 II 7 X - 1 II 11 X - 1 " 36 X -n-- 1

First one I caught on canary seed. Since then almost all have been caught on walnut bait, a few on grain. Have caught them in single and 2-celled Potter traps, govt. sparrow trap, dropdoor, and funnel trap. The latter has an opening hardly large enough for them to get in and yet I catch them in it frequently.

I have caught them in the following months - Jan., Feb., Mar., Oct., Nov., Dec. This year I have 3 which have repeated in April but no new ones.

My prize repeater was banded Dec. 6, 1954, repeated Jan. 9, 12, 23, twice on the 27th, once on Feb. 1, 8, 11, 18, twice on the 20th, 21st, 23rd, Mar. 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and once on 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, twice on the 27th, and once April 4, 6, 10, 12. On the days he repeated twice he came early in the morning-between day break and 8 AM and again toward evening-once almost dark and we kept him overnight. On March 2 I caught the bird just as I was going to a school about It miles away to teach. I took it along and let it out the window after showing him to the class. The bird flew to a tree where it sat for about 20 minutes trying to get its bear- jngs and then headed straight in the direction of home. I was late getting home that night and the traps had been tripped all day, but at 5:50 PH I caught the bird again. It is so tame that it will go on eating after getting caught and when any- one goes out to get it out of the trap it will talk to us. Meadowlarks are about the most docile of any of the birds I have banded. The only trouble is the sharp claws which they invariably close around a.finger if you aren't careful. When banding one I use a pencil or stick to give the bird something to hold so that the claws don't stick into me. .

I have had other interesting experiences this year, but have been teaching pretty regularly and if I wait till I have time to write this up in good form I'll never get it to you. If you can find anything of interest in this use it. Some day I'll give you the results of the birds I have taken to school and let out and retaken - some interesting retakes. Up to now I have only had one Robin that ever repeated. In the last month I had 3 repeat~rs-one that I retook 2 days after let- ting out at the near by school, one a cripple with'one foot and lower leg gone.

Florence Henderson 6000 Sacramento Blvd. Sacramento 20, California April 13, 1955

I've had a very interesting 2 months banding - in fact about the most active since we've been in this present location in spite of all the days I didn't have the traps set because of teaching. I know you are interested in first and last dates on migrants and since we didn't have a complete round table at the annual meeting my record won't be in the minutes so I'll send them along. There may not be anything of interest but here they are.

From March 20 - May 15: Banded Latest 1955 Record Last seen in /54 Robins 7 still around May 20th .. Gambels Sparrows 36 caught last on May 4th. None seen after. 4/16 Cedar Waxwings 80 banded last on April 26, some around later Lincoln Sparrows 3 "last on Mar. 29, repeats 4/1 & 4/8 4/4 Savannah" 43 saw last on May 1 4/23 Audubon Warbler 1 March 26. Left soon after. 4/9 House Finches 9 Few around on May 20th. Mockingbird 2 Pairs around on May 20th. Golden Crowned Sp. 11 Last on April 18. 4/8 Brewer Blackbird 1 California Scrub Jay 1 Shrike-nestlings just ready to fly~ May 8 200 Total since Jan. 1 - 320 Total Cedar Waxwings for season 104 - last year I .banded38. This is only the second year I've caught any.

In all my years of banding, r have only had one Robin repeat and heard of one recovery by someone else. This spring 3 Robins repeated, one twice. One came back from school - 7 blocks away 2 days after it was let out. I say one repeated twice. Actually it repeated once in my trap and then some boys found it with an injured wing about 3 blocks from my place. I have had the bird for about 10 days and it is more trouble to feed than my family. It ate the last of my neighbors red berries, some I had kept in the freezer, all the strawberries I can feed it and all the earthworms we dig. It is getting fat and sassy but the wing hasn't healed. A Cedar Waxwing banded the middle of April was found two weeks later - at 28th and J St. in Sacramento - about 4 miles northwest. It was picked up by a youngster and was finally given to Muriel Kaminsky. She phoned me to see if it were mine. She kept ita week and brought it to me. When found it was unable to fly and had a gu,mmy substance on bill and wings. Muriel cleaned it up. It was the tamest thing and ate berries; raisins, if broken in small pieces; orange and banana, its favor- ite after the berries. It made no attempt to drink: by itself and almost no attempt to feed itself. I put it out on a tree for a short time each day for three days. First day it flew a short distance and landed on the ground again. I caught it each time without difficulty as it would sit quietly with no attempt to get away after its first flight. On the fourth day it went up high in the trees where I couldn't reach it and apparently had finally regained its sense of balance as it didn't fall when I shook the limb. A while later when I looked it had gone. The Kingbirds appeared April 20 just about the time our bees were starting to swarm and stayed close to the hives where they could feast. Last year I saw them first on the 21st of April. I reported to ypu seeing Chipping sparrow early this year. Only saw them once after that and caught none. Last year I had them in the yard every day for some time.

The general public needs much education on what to do with bands. Have had 2 reports this month from students of bands being removed and placed on other birds. One reported his father caught 2 banded pheasants and took the bands off and put them on something else. In spite of all the talking I do at school most of the youngsters either throw the bands away or lose them. One of the young shrikes was killed and the band brought to me 10 days after banding. The nest was out in a low tree on the golf course and an Audubon member had been watching the young and told me the day he thought they would fly. I caught one Cedar Waxwing with a leg that had had a compound fracture which had healed with the bone sticking out at an angle. A robin I caught twice had the foot and half of one leg gone.

I have let out numerous birds at schools this year. Among those birds that returned promptly to my yard were a Robin, Gambel, Savannah and Golden-crowned Sparrow, besides the Meadowlark already mentioned.

I have heard an interesting name for a bird. Some of the youngsters told me they had seen several "slwnk sparrows" - Gambel Sparrows of course. Why not? They both have black and white stripes.

Florence Henderson 6000 Sacramento Blvd. Sacramento 20, California May 20, 19.5.5 November: The Los Angeles Chapter ofw.B.B.A. met Sunday afternoon, November 14, 1954 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Webb in La Canada. A letter which was read had been sent to the Secretary of Interior objecting to the chair lift for skiiers on the slopes of Mt. Rainier. An answer was read from Mr. Lewis, the assistant secretary assuring us of careful study before a decision. Mrs. Michener read a letter from the National Parks Association telling of the avalanche of letters against such a project.

Mrs. Boynton read a letter from Mrs. Williams telling of the first White- crowns on Sept. 28, of a Mockingbird eating Pyracanthus berries on August 1, and calling "Poor-will" sometimes. Mr. Webb said Poor -wjIls are cornmon in their drive- way of evenings which opens on an open hillside. He will watch for winterhiber- nation among them.

Round_table: Mrs. Ayer enjoys her hummingbird feeder. It. took the birds thirteen days to begin using it.

Mr. Webb has found very exciting banding in the hills of La Canada - 193 Gambel's ani lWUte-crowned Sparro~, 7 Purple Finches, 1 Cassin Finch, Lawrence Goldfinches, a new influx of California Jays the last two weeks, 1 Bell Sparrow on Oct. 14, 2 Green-tailed Towhees, and 1 Rock Wren. The Allen Hummingbirds left on October 9. Many Juncoes, Brown and Spotted Towhees, and quite a few Hermit Thrushes are around now.

Bill Lofthouse has not been banding but saw a Redstart at Salton Sea, Golden- crowned Sparrows, and a Kinglet at home, both of which were unusual.

Mrs. Baltzar had a Sparrow-Hawk at school for several days. It had been shot with a "BB" gun. The children caught grasshoppers for it and became good friends with it. She had a return of an Audubon Warbler banded last winter, had banded a Mockingbird, a linnet and a towhee.

Miss Pratt had a new bird in her yard - a Virginia's Warbler. It was seen with a Lutescent Warbler eating cheese cake. Hermit Thrushes, House and Bewick Wrens are about.

Mr. Boynton said a Black-headed Grosbeak had been around the last two days. It looks sick but has been eating watermelon seeds and bread. He saw about 15 robins with some Waxwings eating berries this morning, the-first of the fall.

December: The Los Angeles Chapter ofW.B.B.A. met Sunday afternoon, December 12, 1954 at Altadena home of Mr. Walter I. Allen. Mr. Boynton called the meeting to order at 2:40 p.m. as Hr. Allen, the president was indisposed due to a cold. Mr. Boynton read a letter from Mr. Gal!up of Escondido reporting that he had banded 25 Barn Owls and about 600 Caspian Terns.

Round Table: Miss Pratt still has her unusual warbler, a Virginia, which has been there about six weeks now. Bapd-tails are feeding from her table. At the Tucker Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon 17 hummers were feeding at once. Gambels and a Cooper Hawk landed on the feeding table .the;re. About 50 quail came in at noon. Other birds seen were the Bewick Wren, Acorn and Nuttall Woodpeckers, Bluebirds, Lawrence Goldfinches, Chipping and Lark Sparrows. The latter were seen in the Mrs. Boynton told of ~n unusual visitor for this time of the year - a female grosbeak which flew in dirty and hungry. Now it is quite transformed after living on watermelon seeds for 4 or 5 days. It also likes peanut hearts. (Still there January 11. Ed.)

Mr. Webb brought a picture of ,an albino Jay which he banded along with juncoes and 330 Gambel Sparrows since September. He is trying to figure out a pattern for their migration but gets the first birds he banded along with new ones. The White- crowned Sparrow is still around. Mr. Duff has banded 119 species of birds, adding a crow to his list. He re- lated the story of another Poor-will found hibernating in the desert. It was brought to Long Beach where the heat in the apartment of the family that found it caused the bird to revive and fly about. Pat Gould brought it to the San Gabriel Sanctuary where it is dormant again. A couple of weeks ago an Eastern Brown Thrash- er was seen in a yard in Lodi. About a hundred Starlings have been seen around Lodi.

March: The Los Angeles Chapter of W.B.B.A. met Sunday afternoon, March 12, 1955 at the home of Mrs. Harold Michener in Pasadena. Dr. Cady, acting as chairman pro tem, called the meeting to order at 2:45 p.m. A letter of sympathy from Mrs. Austin, secretary of w.B.B.A., was read upon the death of Mr. Allen, It was re- solved the secretary send a note expressing condolences to Miss Elizabeth in the loss of her father and our president and friend. Discussion on a suitable memor- ial for Mr. Allen resulted in the idea that we purchase and donate some ornitholog- ical books enscribed in his memory to either the Pasadena or Altadena Library, whichever place is mQre suitable after investigation.

New officers were elected as follows: President ...Dr. Cady Vice Presidents - Mr. Duff and Mr. Boynton Secretary .•.Mr. Webb Round Table: Mr. Webb gave us the picture of a typical day of bird banding at his home - March 11. There were 111 birds in the traps. 73 captures but 62 indi- viduals as some were in the traps more than once, 14 banded, 48 repeats on Gambels. There was a big shift in bird population this week with some birds banded in October and not seen since returning. He has banded over 400 Gambels this year. 11 Purple Finches with no repeats, 8 Valley Quail ...all repeats. Goldfinches repeating from October. 2 Spotted Towhees, 1 new and 1 repeat. 1 Junco repeat. 1 Lincoln Spar- row repeat. 1 Audubon Warbler banded. Cassin Finch. There are 3 Rufous Humming- birds around - 2 male and 1 female. On March 2 the first Poor-will of spring was seen. A Thrasher banded in October came back unable to stand, was put in a box where it died 36 hours later. Mr. Bleitz suggested it might have contracted avian cholera. He has done some pathological research on waterfowl so afflicted from Sacramento Valley recently.

I~. Duff complimented Mr. Beltiz on his stimulating bird article in Arizona Highways MagaZine. The illustrations brought much attention. He placed the food where he wanted the birds to come to get beautiful pictures. He announced the death of Mr. Will Brant on March 8, for 40 years bird student and author of Alaska Birdtrails. Mr. Bleitz was asked and promised to show his bird pictures at some February: The Northern California Chapter met on Sunday, Feb. 20 in the Cain Mem- orial Library at Lake Merritt with 17 members present. President William Kirsher called the meeting to order. Round Table: Mr. Stoner had western bluebirds which kept repeating. This is un- usual. Only a few have been banded in the US. A Lincoln Sparrow banded the week before was the first he had banded of the species. Miss Robbins bands at Los Altos. She has noticed a change in behavior of the birds near her home since she started banding. They are not so friendly and fly when she opens the door. At this time of year all the chickadees and Song Sparrows seen in her yard are usually banded. She had banded 22 chickadees in 1953 and 23 last·year. She used persimmons for mockers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Audubon Warblers, and pepper berries for robins. The chickadees liked a mixture of suet and peanut butter. Mrs. Austin read a letter from Mr. Ransom, Washington representative to WEBA. He has found that "dud popcorn" - that which doesn't pop, can be obtained for small price at commercial corn popping places. Since he didn't know what the salt toler- ance was in small birds he has washed, dried and ground the corn. The fox sparrows were earlier than usual at his station. An estimated 10,000 robins were wintering in the area. They were feeding on madronia berries. The question of salt tolerance brought up a discussion among the members of ex- periences and articles on the subject. Pres. Kirsher suggested that experiments might be carried on along this line. Mrs. Kaminsky had found that juncoes take salted crackers more readily than unsalted. Mrs. Grinnell said that woodpeckers eat salt pork. Mrs. Henderson had followed a suggestion in an old issue of the News and had used salt to bait traps for House Finches with good results.

Mrs. Austin called the members attention to an interesting article in the Con- dor of Mar. 1932 by Mr. Joseph Mailliard on the Golden-crowned Sparrow plumage. The article is illustrated and shows how much we still have to lear'non this subject. Mr. Swinehart told of the results of painting houses in the State park where he had previously banded swallows. He found that the swallows were unable to get their nests to stick. The number nesting had been considerably reduced and he had not been able to do much follow up. Mrs. Grinnell commented on an article by Mr. Stoner about some buildings in Benecia that had been painted with crude oil to dis- courage swallows and the birds never came back. Mr. Cogswell told of a corregated barn where swallows built every year - in spite of the fact that the nests blew down each time.

Mr. Farrow gave a demonstration of duck banding at the Lake :Herritt station and showed the differences between diVing ducks and others. The trap used was "a diving duck trap." It is heart shaped 50 that one person can drive the birds into the small end and into the gathering cage. The opening funnel is 4 in. It is best used in 30 in. of water. Grain is scattered at the entrance. The band holder used was very ingenious. The mallards being semi-domestic are not banded at thelake. There are Pintails, Bluebills and Canvas-backs on the lake. The birds were held by the wings till time to band and then were held between the legs of the bander. Mr. Farrow gave a very interesting talk and interested the children who were watching by letting them hold the birds. The coots were very aggressive and not as easy to hold as the ducks. Mr. Farrow ~aid that there is prejudice against coots as food. They are good eating and easy to skin. There is a special shooting season over agricultural lands in 30 counties to reduce the numbers. The secretary read an article by Dr. Joseph Grinnell in Co~dor for July 1925 reviewing an article by Nelson in Scientific Monthly for 1876 on birds in the reg- ion which· is now Lake Merritt. Lake Merritt was the first California State Game Refuse in 1869. Mrs. Smith added to this information that a feeding station was or- ganized at the Lake in 1915.

Pres. Kirsher reported on the Audubon field trip 25 miles S of·Sacramento to see the Sandhill Cranes. He estimated that there were 1700 cranes. Some were seen dancing. There were 200 Mountain Plovers in one field. He had visitedsome of the swallow culverts three weeks ago and found Say Phoebes in 3, a Sparrow Hawk in one, and Black Phoebes under several bridges. They have found 9 or 10 species beside swallows under culverts. Flickers have been found and Paul Steele found a House Wren and English Sparrow. Mr. Kirsher has had an interesting time banding Sparrow Hawks. He has banded 60 and has only caught 2 with bands. One of these was slight- 1y open. This has lead him to wonder if it is possible the birds are taking off the bands. He had one repeat shrike. The robins are roosting in large numbers in Car- michael and he thought he could use a Colman lantern to attract them but it didn't work because there were too many other lights outside the circle.

March: The Northern California Chapter, W.B.B.A., was held on Sunday, March 20, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. :Howard Cogswell on the Mills College Campus. Pres. Kirsher called the meeting to order with 21 members and guests present.

Round Table: Mr. Paul Steele reported that Cliff Swallows returned to the Elk Grove Fish Hatchery bridge, south of Sacramento, March 3. He had been out to one of the nesting places but found that the early returns were mostly banded birds.

Miss Emily Smith reported on two months of banding. She had more Golden- crowned Sparrows than any other species, sometimes seeing 80-90 at one time. Most of these are already banded. She was interested in one bird with a special song pattern and another with a conspicuous crown molt. Two White-throated Sparrows were feeding with the White~crowns. She had banded 1 Lincoln Sparrow. A thrasher minus one foot had mated with a female blind in one eye.

Mr. Stoner had banded 143 waxwings and 43 robins but had run out of berries which he was using for bait. Mrs. Bailey, a visitor from Virginia, whose late husband Mr. Eugene Law con- ceived the idea of the WEBA, gave us an interesting account of the early days of banding at their home in Altadena. They started with large goverrunent traps which they found too large, then used small traps which quail and thrashers were able to carry around on their backs. !hey fed 250 to 300 quail at once. A pan tapped with a rock served as a dinner bell and brought the quail. Mr. Law had a skin collect- ion which was used extensively by himself and other banders. }trs. Bailey urged banders to apply iodine to bruises. She has treated cysts on birds with iodine and they disappeared.

Mr. Pyle had just arrived from Hawaii. There is not much banding in the is- lands, but he stated that there are many interesting problems to be worked out on the nesting sea birds and also on the migratory shore birds. Sooty terns, in great concentrations in summer on the uninhabited islands, leave in winter. The Fish and Game have done duck banding on a limited scale. One of the problems on the islands has been the airfields. The Sooty Terns nested on the runway on one island. They attempted wholesale slaughter but made no dent in the population. As the run- ways were extended the population increased. Birds were sucked into the jets. }fid- way Island had to be given up as a stopping place.

}tr. Cogswell said that }tr. Neff had been trapping albatross on Midway and had returns 8 to 15 years old. The series correlated with the corner of the island where they were found showing that they nest in the same part of the island each year. }tr. Kirsher said that this longevity record seemed to be proof tha t bands would hold up in sea bird banding.

> Mrs. Smith had banded 20 housefinches, 2 purple finches, nuttalls, and 5 gold- en crowns. A young downy woodpecker was at her tree trap which was not set so she caught him wi th a butterfly net.

Pres. Kirsher has asked for a revised permit to allow him to stain the spar- row hawks since he thinks the birds are removing the bands. He has only caught 2 banded birds and one of these had the band sprung. Miss Smith had caught a thrash- er with the band sprung and }tr. Cogswell had a similar experience with a jay. Mr. Kirsher has had Acorn Woodpeckers coming to the suet in his yard. He had been out swallow banding.

}trs. Henderson had banded 12 species during the past month, including 1 red shafted flicker, 5 golden crowns, 1 junco, 14 gambels, 4 savannahs, 4 Audubons, 26 cedar waxwings, 2 meadowlarks, mockingbird, 1 br. blackbird, 3 housefinches and the first pipit she had ever banded. She reported on the 32 meadowlarks banded in the past 5 years, one of which has repeated 28 times and returned from a school a mile or more away on same day released.

Florence Henderson Secretary NEWS FROM THE BIRD BANDERS Western Bird Banding Association 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

Mr. Karl E. Bartel, 2528 West Collins Street, Blue Island,·Illinois. Potter and Government Sparrow types,!" mesh, all galv., painted to order. I-Cell, 6" x 12" x 9" high, $2.25 postpaid. ($2.50 west of Rockies; $2.75 in Canada). 2-Cell, II" x12" x 9" high, $4.75 postpaid. ($5.00 west of Rockies; $5.25 in Canada). Govtt Sp., 35" x 18" x 12fthigh, $8.40 postpaid. ($8.90 west of Rockies; $9.15 in Canada).

Mr. Russel S. Davis, Glenhaven Bird Sanctuary, Clayton, Illinois. Glenhaven Standby with Potter type doors or Glenhaven Warbler with Chardonneret type top doors, !" mesh, 8" cubical cells, trigger counterbalanced. 2-cell, $3.00; 4-cell, $5.50.

For EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF BANDS address Mr. Emerson A. Stoner, 285 East L Street, Benicia, Calif. Tel. Benicia 160 (Note: All sizes are now available in the Emergency Supply)

For MEMBERSHIP AND DUES, address Mr. Francis Boynton, Business Manager, 163 W. State St., Pasadena 2, Calif. Dues in WBBA and Cooper Ornithological Society for various membership classes: WBBA associate $2.00 COS active $4.00 WBBA active 2.00 cas sustaining 5.00 WBBA sustaining 5.00cos life 100.00 WBBA associate & COS active 5.50 WBBA associate & COS sustaining $6.50 WBBA active & COS active 5.50 WBBA active & COS sustaining 6.50 WBBA sustaining & COS active 8.50 WBBA sustaining & COS sustaini~g 9.50 WBBA LIFE $50.00 WBBA & cas LIFE $150.00 For dues including COS (except Life) add 25¢ for postage outside the U.S.A. Combination dues should be paid only to the WBBA Business Manager. Members are urged to subscribe to the quarterly Bird Banding, at $4.00 to members of WBBA (normal subscription $5.00). Please order directly from Richard M. Hinchman, 75 Fairbanks Road, Milton 86, Massachusetts. OCTOBER, 1955

* i~

*i~ * i~ *'l~ ~•. W.B.B.A. Album •..•..•••....•...•••••••. 39 i~ i~ -l~ i~ Nestlings Do Return i~ i~ by W. K. Kirsher ••••••••••••••••• 39 i~ i~ -l~ -l~ An UnwelcomeVisitor 40 -l~ -l~ by Emerson A. Stoner •••••.••••••• -l~

* With the Banders ••••••.•••••••••••.•••• 41*i{" * Southern California Chapter Minutes •••• 43 {~ * ****{~*********************************"~*"~{~*** Russell H. Pray ------Editor President ------Emerson A. Stoner Mrs. N. E. Ayer, Henry E. Childs, Jr., 285 East L St. ----- Benicia, California Johnson A. Neff, Paul H. Steele. Secretary ------~Mrs. Harold C. Austin 1116 Mandana Blvd. -- Oakland 10, Calif. Business Manager ---- Francis H. Boynton 163 W. State Street - Pasadena 2, Calif.

Address contributions to the NEWS to Russell H. Pray, 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

There is space in Volume 2 of the association's album for many more photos and pictures. Snapshots pertaining to the trapping and banding of birds are particularly desired; also pictures of banders and of ornithological interest are welcome.

The two volumes are presently in the hands of Mr. D. E. Payne, Route 4, Box 512, Hood River, Oregon. Oregon banders who wish to see the volumes might contact him. Mr. Payne will welcome advice from banders on how to capture doves for banding in a wooded area.

NESTLINGS DO RETURN by W. K. Kirsher

What of the nestlings you band? Among breeding birds from albatross to sparrows there is an abiding attachment for the breeding spot which causes the bird to return in successive years, a fact well established through banding, but what are your chances of ever again recapturing those young birds that depart your area without having had the breeding-nesting experience?

In discussing the operation of homing instinct F. C. Lincoln (Bird Banding 5 149-155; 1934) says, "•••the only tenable answer is that they spread indiscriminately throughout the natural range of the species, and it is pure chance if one should re- turn to the area where it is hatched."

We pondered this problem recently in connection with our Cliff swallow banding notes. We have not banded nestlings, since it is impracticable to get them safely out of the nests in numbers, but we have banded several hundred juvenals, fully fledg- ed and flying and still living in the colony ~ In one colony 124 young were bar:._~,)din 1952. The next year 30 of these birds, 24 per cent, returned to breed, most of them at the same site where they were banded, but a few of them joined a second colony a half mile away. And of these young returnees a whopping 66 percent returned again in 1954. Here we have a select group of young vigorous birds that sur vived the migra- tory flight in considerably larger numbers than is the case when an entire colony is banded including middle aged and senescent birds as well as juvenals. year before--that seems to refute spectacularly Lincoln's theory of indiscriminate dissemination. Is it that the juvenals develop an attachment for their natal site during the brief period between leaving the nest and departing the colony, or is there perhaps some cohesiveness of the flock during migration and on the wintering grounds, with the young birds, their own destination urge as yet undeveloped, following along with the adults when the spring migration begins? Nice (Am. Midland Nauralist.Vol 47, p 654) reports on nestling returns of a num- ber of other species including Purple martins, Barn swallows, Tree swallows, Bank swallows, and such non-colonial species as the American redstart and robin, and finds that in every case a substantial proportion of all nestling returns are found within one mile of the banding site.

What then are your chances of recapturing a returned nestling? It would seem that they are pretty good. Sacramento, California Sept. 26, 1955

On awakening this morning I looked out of my window and saw a California Shrike in one of my traps and also another bird motionless in one corner of the trap. Ex- amination of the trap showed the victim to be a male "pink" Linnet with its throat lacerated. After banding the Shrike I retained him a while in a gathering cage and proceed- ed to repair the shingles on my roof, returning a few hours later to rest in the vi- cinity of the cage.

The Linnet, being dead, I placed in the Shrike's cage and comfortably stretched myself out on a chaise to rest and watch the proceedings. After the flbutcherbird" had recovered its composure it briefly eyed the bird on the floor of the cage, then dropped to the floor from his perch and spent a few min- utes thoroughly pinching the victim's throat with his bill. Following this he de- capitated the Linnet using his bill, then repeatedly crushed the skull and devoured it peacemeal,including the feathers and mandibles. Next, anchoring one wing of the Linnet in the mesh of the cage, it plucked out all the wing feathers of the opposite wing and the feathers under the wing, and pro- ceeded to strip the flesh from the wing, side and breast, swallowing quite a few fluffy feathers in the process and frequently cleaning its bill against the wires of the cage. After his meal he proceeded again to try to get out of the cage; however, it was late afternoon and I kept him overnight. The following morning the balance of the Linnet except one tarsus was gone. I am recording this in the News, as it confirms my previous experiences, first that Shrikes do kill for food as well as pleasure, and second, that the head of its victims is considered the "choice morsel." Some observors have reported killings made by this species without subsequent usage for food. September 24, 1955 Emerson A. Stoner, Benicia, Calif. After reading many BULLETINS (News from the Bird-Banders. Ed.) published regu- larly bT the Association I have come to definite conclusion that not enough emphasis has been given in the past to publishing notable "recoveries" or "returns" on birds banded by Association members. What I would like to suggest is that the BULLETIN, at least once a year, carry what could be called an annual report on band recoveries or returns. The easiest way to arrive at this would be to have each active bird-bander member of the Association send it ALL of his or her Fish and Wildlife Service Forms 3-624 to our Association's office on-a 'loaned' basis, and in that way the editor, or designated assistant, could pick outstanding recovery or return records for in- clusion wi thin the annual report. I am certain that our members would find this in- formation very interesting. Recorded return of any bird to the place where it was banded need not be printed unless un~sually irregular or after a long absence.

H. Ward Beecher, Clyde Hill, Bellevue p.O., Wash., is now equipped with proper banding permits and starting in on banding activity at his home at which place I maintained a banding station for the past 2 years.

Wal ter M. Hagenstein, Medina, Wash., postmaster at that place until his retire- ment last May, has also sent in his application for bird banding permit and expects to receive it in very near future. The main banding location will be the feeding station in his own back yard where I also banded birds for the past 3 years.

During this past week I have been thrilled to see band-tailed pigeons starting to use a new feeding station I have had established 2~ miles north and west of Bellevue on Hunt's Point for past year. I want to get their feeding habits fixed before banding any.

It is suggested that the Western Bird Banding Association plan to meet in Seattle, Washington, at the time that the Cooper Ornithological Society has its meeting here, during 1956, with the Pacific Northwest Bird and Mammal Society. I am a member of all three groups and know that the members of each organization would very much en- joy such a get-together session.

Several months ago I wrote Mrs. Austin asking what any Associ.ation members could offer on the subject of salt-tolerance by the smaller birds most commonly banded by the members. The question was brought to mind by a bit of doubt in my mind whether the "dud" (unpopped) salt-covered pop-corn, that might be had for the asking from commercial corn popper firms, was suitable food for small birds, unless, before grinding it up one would wash it and dry it to be certain that all salt was removed. The commercial corn popping firms sprinkle salt over the popped and unpopped corn, along with an oil or grease in melted form, before packaging the popped kernels. Mostly they throwaway the llduds," or unpopped kernels all of them with salt adhering to them.

It would be greatly appreciated as to how other members cope with the ever'" present '"cat problem" at bird banding statiOiiS, where the offending cat belongs to a neighbor and eradication of the pest by live trapping is inadvisable, and shooting (because prohibited by city ordinances) is illegal. Please print various top-secret methods that have proven effective. Webster H. Ransom Belle vue, Washington October 1955 -c. G~Thompsonwho traps at 587 Arlington Avenue, Berkeley, California, reports a Golden-crowned Sparrow which he banded February 25, 1955 was recovered at Rivers Inlet, British Columbia on May5, 1955.

I am afraid myproposed cormorant study is still a thing of the future. My un- iversity work has left me very busy this year and now mywork is going to be botani- cal and entomological so birds will have to remain in the hobby class.

I do hope to initiate a study of sometype by the local club here and that the study will lead to a ringing programme. HoweverI must wait and see what time I can devote to birds before proceeding too far.

My work will take me over Queensland and I shall be away from Brisbane quite a deal. Our local club has only a very small nucleus of active membersbut I think we may attempt a small population study on a small lagoon near Brisbane. If this re- ceives support we should be able to start banding one or two species at this site.

Kenneth L. S. Harley 30 GreshamStreet East Brisbane S.E. Queensland, Australia 30 November 1954

For a long while I have wanted to write to justify my membership in the Bird Banders and as I have been appointed to carry out the wishes of the California Audo- bon Society regarding the Tucker Bird Sanctuary, Mrs. Beebe and I spent two days there a short time ago to relieve the Zimmermangirls of Santa Ana who have done so much to build up this Sanctuary in the past three years.

Over 2000 hummingbirds thronged the Tiny Tucker feeders perfected by Arnold Lane about two years ago. These are sold at $1.15 each and all profits go to the Sanctuary. Weare now spending about $35.00 per month for sugar (main expense) and feed - chicken scratch, old raisins, peanut hearts, sunflower seed for the individual trays.

The two days that we were at the Sanctuary flocks of 20 to 30 Valley Quail, many mourning doves, and scrub jays overran the feeders with some acorn woodpeckers, nut- hatches, finches, warblers, brown and spotted towhees, orioles, threshers etc. and a lone mocking bird (also one fox and raccoon after dark). The best part is that al tho the viewing porch is only eight feet from the feeders the birds do not seem to pay any attention to people unless some sudden move is madewith the hands or turning the face. This allows perfect examination - almost as good as bird banding.

I urge everyone to go to the Tucker Sanctuary - about 16 miles southeast of Orange - go east on ChapmanSt. which runs thru the center circle of Orange and by watching for "Bird Santuary" signs at two intersections you will get on Santiago Road which runs to the west mouth of Modjeska Canyon. The Sanctuary is up the Canyon about a mile - practically the last place.

The Zimmermangirls or maybe the Stanford girls will be there especially in the afternoons seven days a week. For information about the Sanctuary or Tiny Tucker HummingBird Feeders which really attract hummersyou may write Fern Zimmermanat 405 S Broadway, Santa Ana or phone her at Ki 3-6019. If you are in the IPs Angeles area phone me at Ho 7-9572. You will feel well repaid if you go to Tucker or get a feeder.

Hiram E. Beebe 1847 N. Wilcox Ave. Hollywood 28, Calif. September 2, 1955

April: >1'he Southern California Chapter WBBA met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Webb in La Canada on April 17, 1955. Twelve members, including Mrs. Enid Austin of the Northern Chapter, were present.

Mrs. Baltzar read a letter from Dr. McClure about his observations of birds on several islands in the South Pacific.

Mr. Boynton reported three new members of the WBBA, one for the IPs Angeles Chap- ter, Mr. William Hawkins of El Monte. Mrs. Boynton read a letter from Mr. Harold C. Bryant relating to the proposed Echo Canyon dam. This letter disclosed that the purpose of the dam was not so much to retain irrigation water as to provide another source of hydroelectric power. He felt that the project was economically unsound and was encouraged that the opposition was quite well org~ized and making itself felt. A letter wn~ch Mrs. Margaret Morse Nice had sent to a Chicago newspaper was read by Mrs. Michener. This letter emphasized the importance of immediate action on the Echo Canyon matter on the part of all conservationists.

Discussion followed these letters as to what might be the most effective way of voicing opposition to the Echo Canyon dam. The consensus of opinion was tbat a large pile of indiVidual letters carried more weight than any group or organization letter.

Mr. Boynton reported the first Golden-crowned Sparrow that he has seen in his yard for several years •. The female Black-headed Grosbeak which has wintered in the Boynton yard has left. Robins have begun nesting in the area, and a few Quail fre- quent the neighborhood. Dr. and Mrs. Romig reported three large invasions of robins and cedar waxwings, which descended on their yard and gorged themselves on berries and then departed. Also reported were Great Horned Owl, Gambel Sparrows, Wren-tits, and a Titmouse. Mrs. Romig had caught an unusual partial albino Gambel Sparrow which she brought to the meeting. This bird showed considerable albinism about the head, with almost contin- uous white around the crown down to the auriculars and only traces of the black crown stripes anteriorly.

Mr. Lofthouse now has his trapping station in operation and to date has banded 19 birds. In his yard in Highland Park he has seen a Warbling Vireo and Black-headed Grosbeak in the past few days. Miss Pratt reported that her Gambel Sparrows left on April 14th. No warblers had arrived yet. A pair of Robins which wintered in her yard left on April 1.

Miss Bowen had been studying birds in Arroyo Seco Canyon and reported disappoint- ing numbers of migrants. On April 10 she had seen very few warblers - Black-throated Greys and Lutescents. Also she saw both orioles, Ari~ona Hooded and Bullock, and Black-headed Grosbeaks. A few days earlier there were numbers of Rough winged Swal- lows in the Canyon. In general she felt the area was good for birding, since the road has been closed to public travel for several years and the canyon has now be- ~ome much wilder.

At Bolsa Chica Gun Club on March 6, Miss Bowen sawall three kinds of teal. Pipits were common. Six barn owls which had been shot were discovered in a pile.

A single flock of 500 Cedar Waxwings was counted in Whittier by Mrs. Baltzar. She had also become the custodian of 5 nestling shrikes, whose nest had blown down in the recent windstorm. By returning them to the site of the nest, the parent birds were induced to resume their responsibilities. At Charlton Flats Mrs. Baltzer watch- ed a Slender billed Nuthatch building its nest.

Mr. Webb reported very few migrants at his station. He had banded only one warbler today, a MacGillivray. Most of his Gambel Sparrows had left, those still around being from a new group of birds banded in the last few days. Golden-crowned Sparrows were still about as common as usual. He gave a report on ~ hours of band- ing of April 12 which resulted in 39 captures, representing 37 individual birds, 19 of which were not banded. There were 31 Gambel Sparrows, of which 16 were new; 4 Golden crowned Sparrows, all repeats; one Hermit Thrush, new; 1 California Thrasher, repeat; 1 Lutescent Warbler, new; and one California Jay, new.

Mrs. Austin inquired about the plumages in the Golden crowned Sparrows which Mr. Webb had been getting. Mr. Webb reported that lately all three types of crown markings were appearing in about equal numbers. Mrs. Austin told of the project be- ing undertaken by the Northern Chapter in the study of crown plumages in Golden- crowned Sparrows.

Mrs. Austin also described her trip to Europe and visits with banders in several locations. Of particular interest to members here were her descriptions of the use of nets in the capture of migrating birds, the Heligoland trap, and the schools for would-be banders in England.

Mrs. Michener presented a slate of nominationsfor officers of the WBBA. There were no further nominations to be received from the Southern Chapter.

Dr. Cady appointed a committee to study further the giving of a memorial bird- bath to LaVina Sanatorium in memory of Mr. Allen. The members of this committee are Mrs. Michener, Miss Bowen, and Mr. W3bb.

May: The Southern California Chapter WBBA met at the home of Mrs. N. Edward Ayer, in Pomona on May 8, 1955. Eight members were present.

Mrs. Baltzar read an article in the Readers Digest relating to some unusual soc- ial behavior among swallows and jays. Some members upon hearing the account expressed doubts as to the authenticity of the events described. Mr. Boynton reported two returns of his Mourning Doves. An innnature, banded June 26, 1950 was killed in a trap at the station of Mrs. Fassero in Eagle Rock qy a Cooper Hawkon January 16, 1955. An adult banded on Sept. 2, 1950 was found dead in Hollywood January 5, 1955.

Several migrants have appeared in the Boynton yard: a male Western Tanager, Rus- set-backed Thrush, Yellow Warblers, and Arizona-hooded Oriole.

Mrs. Michener offered some dates for the migrants in her yard, as follows: last Gambel Sparrow, April 21; first Arizona-hooded Oriole, April 23; first Black-headed Grosbeak, April 23; and the first Cowbird on April 13. The first baby House Finch to appear at the Michener feeders came on April 30; young English Sparrows were first noted on April 18; and baby Mockingbirds on April 20. YoungBrownTowhees and Cali- fornia Jays have just put in their appearance today. On April 2 Mrs. Michener observ- ed two innnature GambelSparrows with no evidence of the spring moult having begun.

A letter from Mrs. Edna Williams of Bakersfield was read by Mrs. Michener. The letter told of Western Gnatcatchers being the victims of the Cowbird and of a return record for a male Bullock Oriole which was banded in 1950 and was re-trapped in 1954 and 1955.

Mr. Webbfurnished migration dates as follows: last GambelSparrow (trapped), April 28; last Golden-crowned Sparrow, May 3. On May4 he caught a female Sierra Junco. This is someweeks after his winter flock of Juncos left and Mr. Webbthinks that perhaps this capture may indicate Juncos nesting in his area. First Cowbird was captured on May3, though some were seen a few days earlier.

The most unusual occurrence at the Webbstation was the capture on May6 of three adul t male Cassin Finches. One of these was a repeat of a bird banded February 11.

A list of the warblers at the Webbstation showed 2 Calaveras, 7 Orange crowns, 11 Lutescents, 2 Black-throated Greys, 7 Macgillivrays, 16 Pileolateds, and 1 Long- tailed Ghat. Most of these were banded during the last two weeks of April. The 7 Orange-crowns were banded before March 15.

Twenty-three new jays have received bands from Mr. Webbsince April 1, as well as several Mourning Doves.

Miss Bowenhas made more trips into Arroyo Seco with more impressive results than last month. On the 25th of April she found numbers of warblers: Yellows, Townsend, Calaveras, Black-throated Greys, and Pileolateds. Also present were t'lestern Tanagers and Bullock Orioles. On the 27th of April a Calaveras Warbler was seen in Pasadena, and on the first of MayMiss Bowensaw Black-throated Grey, Pileolated, and Yellow Warblers in yer yard. On the same day in the Arroyo Seco she found Hermit Warblers and Lazuli Buntings.

Dr. Cady has had several return GambelSparrows. His Road Runner is still around, as are his House Finches. He now has also a Spotted Towhee.

Mrs. Ayer has resumed banding and in April secured several GambelSparrow returns. ManyBand-tailed Pigeons have been eating the blossoms of her Jackaranda tree. On April 29th several warblers were heard in the yard. June: The Southern California Chapter WBBA met at the home of Mrs. J. Harold Mich- ener in Pasadena on June 12, 1955. Eight members were present. Mr. Boynton reported on the distribution of fifty letters to members of the ~\VBBA in other states requesting them to write their Senators and Congressmen relative to the Echo Canyon Dam. He also announced a new member of WBBA, Evelyn Sharpless, of Pala, California. Mr. Webb read a letter he had received from Clarence A. Davis, acting secretary of Interior, giving the views of the present administration on the Upper Colorado project. Several points of basic political philosophy were raised by this letter and discussion followed. The Upper Colorado project seems to rest on the premise, adher- ed to by the present administration, that local interests should receive precedence over national. Mrs. Michener read two letters, one from Mrs. Nice telling of the threat to the Witchita Mt. Refuge, which the Army proposes to take over for weapons testing purposes; and another Ietter from Mrs. Grinnell telling of the WBBA annual meeting at the Kinsey residence in Manor. Mr. Webb described plans for the memorial bird bath in honor of Mr. Allen and it was decided that a special meeting would be held at the Webb home to pour concrete as soon as the forms for the bird bath were completed.

Miss Pratt began the round table by showing the group a young Flicker which she had been raising. Migration was late this year according to Miss Bowen's observations. For exam- ple, Cedar Waxwings were seen as late as May 21 at Exposition Park, and a migrating Yellow Warbler was seen in her yard on May 28. On May 22nd Miss Bowen visited Laguna Beach where Cliff Swallows and Purple Martins were seen. On May 14, birding at Charlton Flats yielded Pileolated,Hermit, and Townsend Warblers, and Brewer Black- birds. Mrs. Boynton had a female Grosbeak one day, and the next day a male Cowbird which was carrying a band. Many young birds are around. Mrs. Boynton feels that their yard offers exceptional security which permits parents to relax with their young. She ob- served two young Thrashers, both from the same parents, which were being raised in two separate locations at the same time. Mourning doves remain abundant, and a few ori- oles are around. .

The first young jay put in its appearance in the Michener yard on May 13th; three were on hand by the 16th. By now, Mrs. Michener reports, most of them have learned how to behave like self-respecting jays should behave. On May 22nd Mrs. Michener en- gaged in an all day watch of the Band-tailed Pigeons in her yard, with particular at- tention.being paid to the duration and frequency of visits to the feeder. The results of this watch may be somewhat untypical since the day before a cat had killed a Chi- nese Spotted Dove near the feeder and, eVidently as a result, the Band-tails were un- usually fidgety as they came to feed. The possibility of many of the former resid~nts of the Whittier Narrows Sanctu- ary now finding homes elsewhere in the Whittier area was pointed out by Mrs. Baltzar who has seen several unusual species in her neighborhood. Only one block away a 'White- tailed Kite was seen. Also reported were a Black-throated Grey Warbler and Arizona- hooded Oriole. Banding was so inferior in results at the Webb station, that work was carried on on other fronts. In company with Don Bleitz, on May 17th, Mr. Webb banded 38 Black- headed Grosbeaks, 4 Western Tanagers, 2 Brown Towhees, 2 Titmice, and 1 Thrasher, all at the Tucker Bird Sanctuary in the Santa Ana Mts. Mr. Webb and Mr. Bleitz are also planning to establish a banding station in the Arroyo Seco Canyon, where preliminary surveys have shown there to be an abundance of bird life. This area was formerly crowded with summer cabins and multitudes of va- cationists, but since 1941 has been closed to vehicular traffic and all the houses have been removed. It is now close to the primitive condition of 30 or 40 years ago. On May 15th Western Tanagers were in the canyon in great abundance, as were also Russet-backed Thrushes, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Western Flycatchers, and Warbling Vireos. Several species were found to be nesting: Wren-ti t, Song Sparrow, Greenback Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, Bush-tit, Spotted Towhee, and Violet-green Swallow.

At the Webb station in La Canada 3 adult male Cassin Finches were captured and banded on May 14th and 15th. One of these was photographed in color by Mr. Bleitz. A late Macgillivray Warbler was caught on June 1. The most abundant bird in the area continues to be the House Finch, though Mr. Webb confesses utter failure of all at- temps to capture any. About the 15th of May the flocks consisted almost entirely of adult males.

July: The Southern California Chapter WBBA met at the home of Mrs. J. Harold Mich- ener in Pasadena on July 10, 1955. During the round-table Mr. Webb described a location in the Arroyo Seco canyon where from a single spot one could observe occupied nests of a Black Phoebe, a Canyon Wren, two Rough-winged Swallows, and a Violet green Swallow. Two of these Rough- winged Swallows and one Canyon Wren were caught in butterfly nets by Mr. Webb and Mr. Bleitz and were banded. At the Webb station in La Canada there are now abundant young jays, thrashers, brown towhees, and spotted towhees. Mrs. Boynton was able to study the behavior of a parent Mockingbird in feeding its young. A young bird, eVidently fresh out of the nest, was fed at intervals vary- ing between 7 and 15 minutes. Rapid progress in growth was noted and by the third day the bird seemed much more vigorous. On the sixth day, the youngster found the raisins at the feeding table, and shortly thereafter was banished from the area by the parent bird. A Rufous or Allen Hummingbird was a recent visitor in the Boynton yard. Miss Allen reports large numbers of hummingbirds as regular visitors to her feed- ers. Also many jays are now present. Mrs. Ayer told of the birds she had seen on a recent trip to Big Sur. She watched adult Dippers dive under the water and come up with food which they gave to their young. Once the song of this bird was heard. At her Pomona station, Mrs. Ayer has had a group of six quail for about 2 weeks. There were three young males and three adult males, and no females were noted. When another male attempted to join this exclusive club he was promptly ousted by three of tbe members. House Finches are present, but do not enter the traps. ' On June 6, a bird walk in Descanso Gardens (La Canada) netted 33 species for Miss Pratt, including a vfuite Fronted Goose which has taken up residence in the pond there. Miss Pratt has found Juncos nesting in this area, and Cowbirds being raised. A Black chinned Hummingbirdnest was also found. 108 species have been recorded from Descanso Gardens by Mr. Quattlebaum.

Mrs. Baltzar has banded a Song Sparrow. There are many Killdeer in her neighbor- hood, and abundant Mockingbirds. She also had opportunity to observe a Sparrow Hawk feeding on grasshoppers.

House Finches are deserting the Michener premises, probably because of the fact there are no more peanut hearts out for them to eat. For abOut a month a small flock of all male Blackbirds has been visiting the yard. Adult jays are absent, but young jays comein groups of about ten at a time. There are manyyoung mockingbirds in the yard, and a BrownTowheehas been raising a Cowbird.

Mr. Boynton watched a Horned OWl being chased by five birds just after day- break. The oriole population in the Boynton yard has changed. Last year two or three males were appearing regularly; this year the males are not much in evidence while there are many females and young. Orioles visit the hummingbird feeders.

Dr. Cady nowhas a pair of Quail in his yard and he has succeeded in capturing and banding the female. NEWS FROM THE BIRD BANDERS Western Bird Banding Association 662 Santa Rosa Avenue Berkeley 7, California

Mr. Karl E. Bartel, 2528 West Collins Street, Blue Island, Illinois Potter and Government Sparrow types, i" mesh, all galv., painted to order. I-cell, 6" x 12" x 9" high, $2.25 postpaid. ($2.50 west of Rockies; $2.75 in Canada). 2-cell, 11" x 12" x 9" high, $4.75 postpaid. ($5.00 west of Rockies; $5.25 in Canada). Gov't SP., 35« x 18" x 12" high, $8.40 postpaid. ($8.90 west of Rockies; <19.15 in Canada).

For EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF BANDS address Mr. Emerson A. Stoner, 285 East L St., Benicia, Calif. (Note: All sizes now in the 1!)nergencySupply)

For MEMBERSHIP AND DUES, address Mr. Francis Boynton, Business Manager, 163 W. State st., Pasadena 2, Calif. Dues in WBBA and Cooper Ornithological Society for various membership classes: WEBA associate $2.00 cas active $4.00 WEBA active 2.00 cas sustaining 5.00 WBBA sustaining 5.00 cas life 100.00 WBBA associate & cas active 5.50 WBBA associate & cas sustaining $6.50 WBBA active & cas active 5.50 WBBA active & COS sustaining 6.50 WEBA sustaining & cas active 8.50 WEBA sustaining & cas sustaining 9.50 WBBA LIFE $50.00 WBBA & cas LIFE $150.00 For dues including cas (except Life) add 25¢ for postage outside the U.S.A. Combination dues should be paid only to the WBBA Business Manager.

Members are urged to subscribe to the quarterly Bird Banding, at $4.00 to members of WBBA (Normal subscription $5.00). Please order directly from Daniel P. Johnson, Box 730, Osterville, Massachusetts.