Western Birds Journal

Volume 4, No. 2

Published September 9, 2025

Articles

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    Tim Manolis (Author)

    THE EASTERN KINGBIRD IN CALIFORNIA

    The breeding status of the Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) in California has been open to question for some time. It has long been known to breed in south central Oregon (Gabrielson & Jewett 1940) and northern Nevada (Linsdale 1936). Noting a number of records for the “Eastern border of the state”, Grinnel & Miller (1944) assumed that the species “probably” bred in this part of California. Their assumption was taken as fact by many subsequent authors (Pough 1957, Peterson 1961, etc.) but, as McCaskie & De Benedictis (1966) point out, “. . . there is no evidence of this species having nested in California.”

    In the summer of 1971, a pair of Eastern Kingbirds nested successfully at Honey Lake Wildlife Area, near Wendel, Lassen County, California. This paper documents the first recorded nesting for the state, and presents all California records of Eastern Kingbirds known to me. A discussion of the possible significance of these records is also included.

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    Joseph R. Jehl, Jr. (Author)

    LATE AUTUMN OBSERVATIONS OF PELAGIC BIRDS OFF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

    The near-shore avifauna of the coast of California is as well known as that of any state. To a large extent, our knowledge is based on the pioneering work of Leverett M. Loomis (1896a, 1896b, 1900a, 1900b and 1918) and, particularly, Rollo H. Beck (1910), who collected large and important series of seabirds in the vicinity of Monterey Bay early in this century and documented the regular occurrence of several species that were not known to be present in California waters. In recent years, offshore birdwatching trips from selected points, but principally from Monterey and San Diego, have provided important supplementary data on migration patterns and abundance, although the data remain to be analyzed in detail. Even the most ambitious of these excursions, however, has had a maximum duration of about 20 hours. Observations more than about 60 miles from shore are almost lacking, and long term observations far offshore remain to be attempted.

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    Steven Speich (Author)

    ARIZONA BIRD RECORDS, 1972

    This is a report of noteworthy occurrences of birds in Arizona during 1972. These records were submitted to the Arizona Bird Committee and have been officially approved by it. All descriptions and supplementary material (photographs, etc.) pertaining to these records are on file in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

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    BULLETIN BOARD: COLOR MARKED FERRUGINOUS HAWKS

    As part of a study of Ferruginous Hawk behavior and ecology in southern Idaho and northern Utah, 105 juveniles were color marked with green, blue, red, orange, yellow, and white wing tags. Some markers are a solid color, others are combinations of two colors. Some birds have two markers while others have only one. In most cases there is a marker on both wings. The marker, a crescent shaped band of colored fabric, fits over the inside of the wing and is visible from both the top and bottom sides of a bird in flight, and the top side of a perched bird. Observers are requested to report the color of marker on left or right wing or both and the date and location of observation to Leon R. Powers or Dr. Charles Trost, Department of Biology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho 83201 or to Richard Howard, Wildlife Science Department, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322. If a marked bird is found dead, include if possible the cause of death and the band and color markers.

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    NOTES WESTERN RANGE EXTENSIONS OF SCALED QUAIL, MONTEZUMA QUAIL AND COPPERY-TAILED TROGON IN ARIZONA

    The recorded western limits of the Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) have been reported by Phillips et al. (1964) in The Birds of Arizona as the Baboquivari Mountains and southcentral Pinal County. A male Scaled Quail was observed and repeatedly heard giving single-note breeding or “squawk” calls in the Tecolote Valley, 18 miles southwest of Sells, Papago Indian Reservation, Pima County, 24 May 1973. When approached and flushed, the “chuk-chur” and “ping” calls were given, confirming the identification. This bird was perched on a cholla (Opuntia sp.) in a vegetation community indicative of a relict edaphic grassland which is now dominated, because of livestock, by Atriplex accompanied by seasonal annuals.

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    NOTES: CLARK’S NUTCRACKER CAUGHT ON CHOLLA CACTUS

    On 15 October 1972 while driving through Cholla Gardens in Joshua Tree National Monument, Riverside County, California, my Swiss companions, Hans and Verena Schmiedeskamp, asked me to stop and back up as they had seen a large bird. About ten feet off the road we found a dead Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) caught on a cholla (Opuntia bigelovii) (Figure 1). As far as we could determine, the bird had landed on top of the cholla and its feet had become caught in the cholla spines, with subsequent death. We were unable to pry its feet loose with a small stick.

    Miller and Stebbins (The Lives of Desert Animals in Joshua Tree National Monument, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1964) cite records of Clark’s Nutcrackers in the Monument, but to the west, in the pinyon (Pinus monophylla) belt. In the area of the Cholla Gardens there are no pinyons. In October 1972 Clark’s Nutcrackers staged an invasion into a number of southern California desert areas (McCaskie, Am. Birds 27:122, 1973). Robert R. Delareuelle, 1002 Juanita Drive, Walnut Creek, California 94595.

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    BULLETIN BOARD: CALIFORNIA FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS’ 1974 SPRING MIGRATION PELAGIC TRIP

    SAN DIEGO, Saturday, 4 MAY 1974. Leave 5:30 AM, return about 8:00 PM. $15.00 per person for CFO members and their families; $16.50 per person for non-members. Tentative destination: waters around San Clemente Island.

    The boat will depart from Seaforth Sportfishing Landing, Quivira Road (near Ventura Blvd.), Mission Bay, San Diego. Please be at the landing one-half hour before departure. This boat, the Seaforth, is a large fishing boat with a galley where short orders, including breakfast, snacks and beverages, are sold.

    Some of the birds which may be seen in this area at this time of year are Black-footed Albatross, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Leach’s Petrel, Black Petrel, Pomarine Jaeger, Sabine’s Gull, Xantus’ Murrelet, and Cassin’s Auklet. Whales, sea lions, porpoise and interesting fish are usually also observed.

    Reservations may be made by sending the following information along with a check or money order to California Field Ornithologists, Post Office Box 369, Del Mar, California 92014: amount enclosed, number of reservations wanted, names of ALL people for whom reservations are desired, your address including ZIP code, and your PHONE NUMBER. Please enclose a STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE. For further information, call Clifford Lyons (714) 276-8628 after 6:00 PM or (714) 453-1000 ext. 1458 before 5:00 PM.