Skip to main content

Observations of California Pine Grosbeak at Southern Limit of Range

Authors
William A. Dill
Journal
Condor
Volume
46
Issue
2 (March-April)
Year
1944
Pages
90
Section
From Field and Study
Online Text

Observations of California Pine Grosbeak at Southern Limit of Range.-On July 25, 1942, Dixon (Condor, 44, 1942:280) observed the California Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator californica) “at a point g mile above the junction of Evolution Creek with the South Fork of the San Joaquin River at an elevation of about 8900 feet, in Fresno County, California.” In a later publication (Condor, 45, 1943:217) he states that this locality is the southernmost known record station for this grosbeak. Since records of the California Pine Grosbeak in the southern Sierra Nevada are rare, it may be of interest to give two additional locality records for it in Fresno County.

On September 3, 1939, I observed three individuals, two males and a female, at “Little Doris Lake,” at an altitude of about 10000 feet. This lakelet is shown, although not named, on the U.S.G.S. Kaiser Quadrangle (reprint of 1939) in the SE g of sec. 19, Twp. 9 S., R. 27 E., M.D.M. The birds were seen for only a few minutes, but at such close range that identification was positive. Almost two years later, on July 7, 1941, a male and a female were seen at Dinkey Lake (sec. 7, Twp. 9 S., R. 27 E., M.D.M.) at an elevation of about 9200 feet. These birds were quite tame, and remained close to our camp for several hours. The male was in full red plumage, as were those seen in 1939.

Both “Little Doris” and Dinkey Lake are about 15 miles (air line) west and a little south of Dixon’s locality.-Wrur.4M A. DIL.L, California Division of Fish and Game, Fresno, California, January 25,1944. 

Advanced Search