Bird Notes from Tehama County, California
Bird Notes from Tehama County, California
During a short stay by the writers and Mr. Henry S. Fitch at Red Bluff, Tehama County, March 31 to April 2, 1932, field trips were made in the vicinity of that town and in the Mount Lassen region. Observations of the birds in that area were made and some collecting was done.
A reference to Grinnell, Dixon and Linsdale’s Vertebrate Natural History of the Lassen Peak Region (Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., 35, 1930) has shown that records of two new birds for the region were obtained by us, as well as a number of early migration dates for various species. These records were all obtained at Red Bluff, Dale’s (fifteen miles northeast of Red Bluff), or in the interlying area.
Lawrence Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei). Two were seen (male and female) near a small lake, one and one-half miles north of Dale's, Tehama County, April 1, 1932. The female, with gonads in breeding condition, was collected by DuMont and the specimen is now in Stevenson's collection.
American Egret (Casmerodius albus egretta). Two were seen at a small marsh four miles northeast of Red Bluff, April 2, 1932. These two birds were new to the region.
Oregon Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus affinis). Six or seven were seen four miles northeast of Red Bluff, March 31, 1932, and two males were collected by Stevenson.
Alaska Myrtle Warbler (Dendroica coronata hooveri). One was Collected at Dale's, April 1, 1932, by DuMont.
The presence of species noted by us that apparently constitute early migration records for the region are: Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata fasciata), a flock of twelve at Red Bluff, March 31; Greater Yellow-legs (Totanus melanoleucus), two at a pond one and one-half miles north of Dales, April 1; Nighthawk, probably Chordeiles acutipennis texensiss, one flying over the Sacramento River at Red Bluff, April 1; Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), one seen eight miles northeast of Red Bluff on March 31; Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina lepida), six or eight seen near Red Bluff, March 31; Tree Swallow (Iridoprocne bicolor), between twenty and thirty found flying over the lake near Dale’s on April 1; Western Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea amoenissima), one taken at Dale's, April 1 Cassin Vireo (Vireo solitarius cassinii), one collected at Dale's on April 1; Lutescent Warbler (Vermivora celata lutescens), found at Dale's, April 1.
Other observations include a Whistling Swan (Cugnus columbianus) found dead at the lake north of Dale's on April 1, and a Sonoma California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum sonomae) seen at Red Bluff on the same date.
Philip A. Dumont and James Stevenson
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, May 1, 1932
