Transcribing the field notes of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: To Lassen (Inskip Hill) Date: June 12, 1925 Page Number: 2459

Came on up the "Lassen highway" last evening and camped for the night on the flat at the southeast base of Inskip Hill within a mile of Payne Creek P.O. - altitude close to 1800 ft. Here is an almost pure stand of smallish yellow pines and black oaks, some of the latter large. This tract of woods constitutes an "island" of transition at 1700 to 2100 ft. alt., entirely surrounded by Upper Sonoran in which blue oak and digger pine in usual scattering habit are the most conspicuous indicators. We camped in the middle of the yellow pine and black oak woods but the tract is so restricted that we could hear out in all directions, and furthermore the birds of the surrounding "associations" cross or infiltrate, so that, as far as I can judge from the birdlife, there is no distinct transition aspect to the animal life here. 7:30 a.m. - Birds noted from our campsite last night or this morning are as follows, mostly in full song, and so giving the impression of great numbers. Pacific Nighthawk (many, first out at 7:20 last evening and still in flight this morning in brilliant sunshine at 6:30; "feathered whang" heard whenever I was awake during the night); Screech Owl (heard two during the night, trilling in different pitches); Dusky Poorwill (heard calling during the night from the bushy and stony

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section (Mineral) Date: June 14, 1925 Page Number: 2463

Both yesterday and today a pair of Evening Grosbeaks have been seen; not on the ground yet, but in flight well up between the fir tops, calling loudly as they go. Saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk, female, in flight thru the lodge-pole pines adjacent to the nearest willow-bog. Dixon and I both have looked thru the thick-topped trees in the vicinity, to no avail so far. Several Siskins are about, mostly in flight, above. There is an abundance of small flycatchers about, foraging and singing up high in yellow pines and firs, but going down into the ceanothus bush, too. Have found two nests, one building and one with one fresh egg (yesterday) and bird sitting. Whether these are Wright or Hammond Flycatchers will depend definitely on shooting; and I will shoot no birds hereabouts, save any (?) taken with nests. Hear one Olive-sided Flycatcher from top of huge yellow pine on hill. Wood Pewees are fairly common. Modoc Hairy Woodpeckers are commonest, adults only, about, foraging industriously on fallen rotting lodge-pole and yellow pine. Have seen one male White-headed Woodpecker, and have heard a Pileated Woodpecker; abundance of the work of the latter on dead firs down clean to the ground. Last night I heard a Pacific Nighthawk; curiously this species is far less abundant here than down around Inskip Hill where the life-

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section (Mineral) Date: June 16, 1925 Page Number: 2469

feeding about our campsite. The male has frequently sung from a young fir tip scarcely ten feet directly above the nest, also from the brush all about it, and when hopping on the ground between or thru the bushes. The rim of the nest is 360 mm. above a mat of yellow pine needles; the nest itself is ensconced among the leaning stems of a rather sparse ceanothus integerrimus. It is a large structure, of much coarse pine and other twigs externally, and lined with shredded bark. There are two young, about 3 days old I think, helpless and downy rather than feathery. The old female is very solicitous, coming within 6 feet of us when at the nest; but the male shows little concern, and sings volubly immediately we leave, from within 20 feet of the nest. Mountain Chickadee's nest, with young, in woodpecker hole opening on under side of a leaning stub a foot in diameter and some 15 feet long. Entrance just my height from the ground - 5 ft., 7 in.; diameter of entrance, 44 mm. - so probably was made by a White-headed Woodpecker. Site open, surrounded by dry ceanothus slope; some very small yellow pines nearby, also two yellow pine stumps, sawed off so long ago they are rotting, cleft. The old chickadees come with food freely, altho I am only about 15 feet away under a bush on the dry (?) hill side. Each bird dives directly into the hole, as it arrives,

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section (Mineral) Date: June 16-17, 1925 Page Number: 2470

without loitering at the threshold. But as it emerges, it looks about a moment, before flying away. Usually when leaving, an adult carries a pellet of excrement in its bill, taking it to a distance, beyond my range of sight. At times both old birds are in the nest hole together. The young must be very small, as I can hear no notes from them when being fed. Such food as I can see brought, consists of green caterpillars. Western Chipping Sparrow's nest: rises 65 inches above ground; in small yellow pine, one of a close growing clump of these out in open away from larger trees, bare ground predominating in vicinity, some clumps of ceanothus (snow-bush). Nest very shallow in outside proportions, resting on needles and two 1/2-inch branches and against main 1&1/2-inch stem of pine. One of the branches forming the support comes from an adjacent tree, but in adjoining against the other so as not to move in ordinary breeze. Bird was sitting closely, and there are four eggs, opaque when held towards the sunlight, so far incubated. June 17 Mollie and I left camp at 6:45 for Berkeley Mountain, via the trail to Viola which leaves the vicinity of Mineral on the gently rising ridge just east of Martin Creek. The trail is a good one tho little traveled, not at all yet this year, save by a horseman up as far as the snow allowed,

Collector: Grinnell-1925 Location: Mineral Date: June 17 Page Number: 2476

tree up from the ground 60 feet or more. Nothing more was heard from her. As in the other case, I could hear the muffled "pumping" of a mile in the distance, probably nearer than it sounded.

We got back to camp at 6pm.

June 18

8:15 a.m -- Wright Flycatcher's nest, the one found four days ago and which Dixon has been photographing. The 3rd and 4th eggs were laid on successive lays, so probably an "egg a day"; the 4th egg was laid within a few minutes of 10:45 a.m.; the bird was apparently sitting continuously from at least the time when the 2nd egg was deposited. Nest in nearly upright clump of stems and twigs of Ceanothus cordulatus; rim of nest 950 mm. above ground; tallest sprigs of ceanothus 490 mm. directly above rim. Nest site in middle of rather open clump about 15 feet across, part of a general growth of this chaparral on a gently south-facing hill-slope; 4 big yellow pines and a white fir within a 100-foot radius. Nest itself rather easily seen from head-height in most directions. Male "sings" high in nearby yellow pines. Female always leaves by ducking down and off thru the chaparral on side away from intruder, not heretofore reappearing. Female shot, and nest and eggs (1/4) taken. Eggs show no incubation.

One old male California Purple Finch flew down onto the ground in camp this morning at 7; possibly some of my "Cassins Purple Finches" have been "California's". Yet the songs are appreciably different.