San Geronimo Notes
San Geronimo Notes
The present winter has been such a mild one, with such a splendid rainfall and heavy growth of verdure, that it seemed reasonable to suppose these unusual conditions would have more or less effect upon our bird life, I looked forward to an increase in the number of birds in consequence of it. The reverse has been the case, however, as far as our winter residents are concerned. Instead of the varied thrush (Ixoreus navius) being in evidence on all sides I have seen but one or two during the whole winter, while the dwarf hermit thrush (Hylocichla g. nana) has been exceedingly scarce and the western robin (Merula m. propinqua) present in very small numbers. The same state of affairs has been reported from other localities in the vicinity of San Francisco. Under these circumstances it is natural to assume that either these birds have found food and climatic conditions so favorable farther north that they have not worked their way down to us, or they have found food so plentiful everywhere that they have scattered widely through the state instead of concentrating in the usually most favorable localities. Will not some of the members of the Cooper Club in different parts of the state help us to solve this problem by giving their observations in these pages?
The only records worthy of especial note at the moment in this locality are the capture of another white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) in February, and the taking of a female Hutton's vireo (Vireo huttoni) that was evidently either laying or just ready to do so on March 14th, a remarkably early date for the nesting of this species in this region.
JOSEPH MAILLIARD
San Geronimo, Marin Co., Cal.
