Transcribing the field notes of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section Date: June 12, 1925 Page Number: 2460

slopes of Inskip Hill); Calif. Woodpecker; Nuttall Woodpecker; Calif. Purple Finch (very common and in full song here in the black oaks); Linnet (equally common and in full song); Western Tanager (one in full song, as I write); Cassins Vireo and Western Warbling Vireo (equally in evidence); Wood Pewee (common); Ash-Throated Flycatcher ( "buckaroo" song heard early in the morning from slopes of Inskip Hill; Black-Throated Gray Warbler (several singing males); Lutescent Warbler (one singing male) Western Lark Sparrow (several); Western Chipping sparrow (common and singing); Green-backed Goldfinch (singing birds almost continually within hearing); Wren-tit (heard song from bushy slopes of Inskip Hill; Valley Quail (sentinel call of male in distance); Plain Tit (one pair, in black oaks); Slender-billed Nuthatch (very common); Bullock Oriole (one heard); Morning Dove (several have flown past); The "stream" right here is now dry - all the water taken out for the ranches around Payne Creek P.O. But down below here a few rods a narrow canyon begins, cut down thru the lava cap, and there, there are potholes with water, the source, apparently, for the birds of these woods. Along the ravine are luxurious golden oaks, densely blooming syringia (Philadelphus), ash trees, etc. Up in the rocky walls are bushes of Cercis and Rhus Trilobata.

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: La Grulla, 7200 ft. Date: Oct. 10 Page Number: 2581

The taking of an adult White-crowned Sparrow today, with brown-crowned immatures in the vicinity, brings doubt as to the identity of the considerable numbers of zonotrichias here -- since an adult Intermediate (gambeli) was also taken. I was under the impression all were of the latter race until today. Saw at least 3 Tanagers (Western) today, in cascara bushes; also 3 Solitaires, and tonight heard the "creak" note. Bluebirds are as numerous as ever, possibly more so; and there is the chance now that northern "occidentalis"(?) have come in, along with such winter visitants as solitaires and Sierra juncos. 6480 Eutamias merriami (female sign) 58.2g. 232x99x35x15} in rat traps 6481 Eutamias merriami (female sign) 60.4. 223x100x33x14} at boulders 6482 Eutamias merriami (female sign) 67.4. 228x100x35x14} and cascara bushes. 6483 Solitaire (female sign) im. 37.2g., fat. Shot in Cascara bush. Oct 11 6484 Scapanus (male sign) 37.3g. 141x30x18. Caught in "modified Macabee" set in surface run in sandy ground under litter of pine needles twigs and cones, under pine. 6485 Wren-tit (female sign) ad. 13.5g. Shot in cascara bush} mates 6486 Wren-tit (male sign) ad. 16.0g. Shot in manzanita near-by} 6487 Solitaire (female sign) im. 38.2g, fat. Shot on stub, to which it flew from a cascara bush; two berries of same in gullet. 6488 Townsend Junco (male sign) ad. 16.9g. Shot off of boulder. 6489 Townsend Junco (males sign) ad. 19.4g. Shot off of stump. Both up in hillside chaparral. Juncos now scarce; only adults left. Ims. and (female sign female sign) have emigrated(?) -- down-hill?

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: to Colnett, Sat. 31 degrees Date: Oct. 28 Page Number: 2608

6641 Savannah Sparrow (female sign) im. 16.7g. Shot in salicornia. 6642 “ “ (female sign) im. 16.8.g. Shot on stem of clump of juncus.

Was out early 5:15 to 6:30, and again 9:20 to 11:30, the last time to the beach, the bluff, and the salt flats. Saw following birds: Turkey Vulture (4+); Poorwill (heard calling last evening); Valley Quail (2 large coveys near camp); Cactus Woodpecker (one heard); Say Phoebe (2); Anna Hummer (2, around blossoming Lycium); Brown Towhee (4+); Spotted Towhee (2); Rufous-crowned Sparrow (2); Intermediate Sparrow (12±); Calif. Thrasher (2, singing); Linnet (6±); Wren-tit (4+); Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher (2); Bewick Wren (2); Red-winged Blackbird (a pair visited camp, and others in small companies in flight out in the valley); Raven (within hearing most of the time); Meadowlark (4 or more, out in salt flat); Marsh Wren (common, a dozen or more, in dense mats of Salicornia (unknown 1) sloughs just back of the cobble-stone beach-barrier (which is fully 8 feet higher than the flats inland from it)); Savannah Sparrow (scattered troupes on open ground among small bushes back from the salicornia); Belding and Large-billed Sparrows (on salicornia marshes, not many, the latter also on beach at high-tide line of drift); Pipit (flock of 10± on bare alkali flat); Killdeer (one heard - the only wader, where we saw so many on the beach when we were here in September); Song Sparrow (2, in big juncus clumps up the valley from the salicornia. Of mammals, I saw one Jack Rabbit on salt flat and 2 or more Brush Rabbits.