LOS ANGELES AUDUBON SOCIETY

VOLUME 37 1970-71 NUMBER 4 DECEMBER

Christmas Census CountsBy Sandy Wohlgemuth

ometime this year betweenDecember 20 and January 2 some

15, 000 people in the United Statesand Canada will pick one day in their

locality and count all the birds theysee. How come? Because in this era

of vanishing countryside and disappearinghabitat, it seems like a good idea to know how thebirds are doing. This enormous, ambitious cen-sus is undertaken by National Audubon in collab-oration with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.It provides ornithologists with valuable data con-cerning fluctuation of populations, expansion orrestriction of range, the status of endangeredspecies—and much more. For example, it willbe interesting to follow the progress of our HouseFinch, recently introduced into the northeast, asreflected in the Christmas Bird Count; or to tracethe remarkable dispersion of the Cattle Egretfrom Africa to South America to Florida, andfinally to California.

It all started in 1900 (a nice convenientdate) when Frank Chapman suggested a censusas a game or sport: counting birds rather thangunning them down. Since then every yearthrough peace, war and depression the countsroll on with more birders participating each

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year. A 15-mile diameter circle is selected asthe site of a count and all available hands arepoured into it in the most strategic areas to getthe maximum number and variety of birds. Thelegitimate hours are dawn to dusk but eager -beavers take midnight to midnight to scoop upowls. No count may be less than eight hoursexcept in arctic areas or on pelagic counts.Identification may be made by ear as well as eye;with owls, of course, the ear is the more potentweapon. The use of the same circle each year isdemanded to allow for evaluation of changes. TheChristmas Count reveals that some years are out-standing for Robins while in other years thesebirds are few and far between. In 1963 many ofus experienced the explosive invasion of Red-breasted Nuthatches. One of the enduring charmsof birding is expecting the unexpected. A not-unexpected sobering aspect of the Christmas Countin the future will be the contrasting curves of a-bundance of Starlings and Brown Pelicans.

There were 25 counts in the original census70 years ago and the record was set in 1968 with853. (Figures on last year's count are not avail-able yet but the trend is ever onward and upward. )When you think of 853 circles with a 15-mile di-ameter scattered around North American andHawaii—that's a lot of ground covered: about150, 000 square miles, give or take a few acres.The warmer states would be expected to bring outmost of the birders, and Texas did have thelargest number of counts in 1968 with 55. But thestates where winter is really winter were hardlybackward: New York was second in counts with5 0 and Wisconsin and Ontario had a startling 35.(California which in fact is not a nature-lovingstate had only 46. )

California, Texas, and Florida are theilaces to be, of course, if you're looking fori wide variety of birds. In 1968 there were12 counts that had 150 or more species. Of;hese, California had 10, Florida 7, and Texas4. Cocoa, Florida, organized by Alan Cruik-shank had the highest species counts most yearsuntil San Diego took such an enormous leap for-ward under the leadership of Alan Craig and GuyMcCaskie. In 1967, San Diego broke the equiva-Lent of the 4-minute mile with 209 species. Apeculiar irony of that record tally is the fact thatthey were unable to come up with a single CommonCrow! The following vear thev managed to find

3 Crows to boost their total to 217 and last yearthey reached the incredible number of 224 species.(No information available at this writing on theCrow population in 1969. )

The counts are usually organized by localAudubon societies and other bird and nature clubs.In many rural areas only two or three people willdo a count. In 1967, in Peshtigo, Wisconsin,Harold Lindberg spent 10 hours alone covering 143miles (one mile on foot) in -20 to 3 degree temper-ature, found 19 species, 412 individual birds. Inthat same year in Aklavik, Northwest Territories,two hardy souls spent 4-1/2 hours (1-1/2 on foot,3-1/2 hours by motor toboggan) in blowing snowwith all water frozen to get 3 Willow Ptarmigansand 32 Common Ravens and nothing else! In morepopulated areas, where a lot of people are avail-able, it is best, of course, to have as many par-ties of observers as possible so that most of thehabitats are explored. In a well-organized countthe observers are encouraged to stake out theirarea in advance to take note of any unusual birdsthere so that on the Bif lay, if Fortune smiles,they will not be missed. If Fortune frowns, how-ever, there is still the consolation prize: thatgood bird may be included in a special section ofthe report as "Seen in area count period, not oncount day. " Unusual birds should be verified by atleast two competent observers and a separatereport submitted giving specific field points,power of binoculars or scope, distance from birdand length of time seen.

Intriguing as a rare bird may be, the realaread-and-butter of a Christmas Count is anaccurate census of the common birds in the area.The goal is to demonstrate whether indigenousbirds are increasing, decreasing or holding theirown. So the observer counting in his back yardor the park around the corner is right up therewith the lucky adventurer bagging a rare one.

All this raw information is funneled intoAudubon Field Notes, a bimonthly published byNational Audubon and "devoted to field investi-gations in ornithology. " One 400-page issue a

year is devoted entirely to the Christmas Count.(A year's subscription is $5; the Christmas Countissue alone is $3. ) Because printing costs arehigh each participant of a count is asked to con-tribute $1. 00. But counting is a lot of fun ANDyou get your name immortalized in Field Notes.

Browsing through Field Notes can be anesoteric entertainment. Where else could onelearn that in 1968 2, 700, 000 Common Gracklesand 12,300,000 Red-winged Blackbirds were seenin Little Rock, Arkansas? All in a little circle15 miles in diameter ! How did they manage tosee the other 72 species with all those icterids?In the same year 89 Barn Owls were seen inSacramento, 8225 Avocets at the Salton Sea,14,000 Surf Scoters in San Diego, and the onlyHepatic Tanager in North America at the HillcrestGolf Course in Los Angeles.

To give you a taste of a representativeChristmas Count report, here are some excerptsfrom the Lakeville-Sharon, Connecticut, count.First the latitude and longitude of the towns in-cluded in the circle. Then, "deciduous woods 25%,fields and pastures 40%, swamps and marshes10%, farmlands, orchards and gardens 15%, townsand villages 10%. " (Fairly makes one's mouthwater, doesn't it?) Continuing, "6 a.m. to 5 p.m.clear; temp -2 to 30 degrees; no wind; 12-15 inchessnow cover, most fresh-water lakes frozen. 76observers; 31 in 11 parties, 45 at feeders. Totalparty hours, 275 (30 on foot, 47 by car, 198 atfeeders); total party miles, 381 (21 on foot, 360by car). " They had a total of 56 species and about14, 868 individuals. Very impressive. And everyone of the 76 observers—including the 45 feeder-watchers—was listed! Birds of unusual interestare printed in bold-face type in the reports. InLakeville-Sharon that year one of the two note-worthy birds was the Killdeer !

The first Los Angeles Christmas Bird Censuswas made in 1915 by the Los Angeles AudubonSociety. The 121 species that came out of it ledthe nation. Unfortunately, someone seemed to bea little over-eager as reports came in from LosAngeles Harbor, Eagle Rock, Sunset Beach and theSan Fernando Valley, among others. It took acouple of years before we worked out the 15-milediameter circle concept.

In 1922 a group of eight ladies covered the cityparks and submitted a plaintive report: "The birds

^:^^g^^SggSgg:w:sg$Jg^g; Continued on -page three

About the AuthorSandy Wohlgemuth was born and raised in that

stereotypically hilarious borough of New York City:' ooklyn. Man and boy, he showed not the slightestinterest in birds, having only vague recollectionsof English sparrows in his backyard and pigeons inProspect Park.

He became involved with birds about seven yearsago when a bold Western Tanager ate a shoe-stringpotato an arms-length away from him at a Buckhorncampground picnic table. He has never been the samesince. He considers himself only a third-echelonbizder, making up for his inadequacies with inordi-nate persistence and enthusiasm.

There is only one bird observa-tory in California; and infact there is only one in

the United Sta-tes that operates all year round.This is Point Reyes Bird Observatory, locatedon the south end of Point Reyses National Sea-shore four miles north of Bolinas and fifteenmiles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge(address: Mesa Road, Bolinas, California94924; telephone 415 868-1221).

Continued fran page tu)oin Griffith Park were few in number owing to thenoise and shooting of a movie company makingpictures. " I don't know if the ladies had transpor-tation or not, but there must have been a couple ofbirds in another part of the park. (Brush Canyon? )

After some spotty years, Los Angeles Au-dubon got down to serious business in 1937 whenthe center of the circle was put at LaCienega andAirdrome Crossing. This was subsequentlymoved slightly to LaCienega and Pico where ithas remained ever since. This gives us a spreadthat includes a big chunk of the Santa Monicamountains, Civic Center, Inglewood, portionsof the beach, Westwood, Griffith Park, and acresand acres of concrete. Our official area break-down reads: city and residential 32%, parks andcemeteries 15%, chaparral 20%, wooded 12%,reservoirs 9%, ocean shore 11%, open country1%. ("open country"? )

In recent years, in addition to our own LosAngeles count, L. A. Audubon members have con-ducted two full-fledged counts on different days:the Malibu-Topanga count led by Joan Mills andthe Palos Verdes count under Shirley Wells. Bothhave been highly successful; in 1968, Palos Verdesmade the magic 22 list with 151 species.

So there you are. Look at the ChristmasCount as another delectable field trip, one you'repermitted to enjoy only once a year, one not tobe missed. Most of us have some very specialspot we treasure as our own "personal" birdingarea. Why not decide now really to cover it thor-oughly on that one Count Day during Christmasweek. Mark it on your calendar (December 27),call me or drop me a line and we'll reserve thatplace for you. If you haven't any particular areain mind, let me know and we'll find a niche foryou. Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! Choice sites aregoing fast. You don't have to be a Roger ToryPeterson to participate. (By the way, he's listedalphabetically in Audubon Field Notes along with44 other observers at Old Lyme, Conn. ) If, likeHamlet, you know a hawk from a handsaw, you'refor us. The more the merrier.Sandy Wohlgemuth, 19354 Calvert St. , Reseda,Calif. 91335, 344-8531 ȣ

PRBO is a delightful place to visit, particu-larly during the fall or spring migration. Thereare regular demonstrations of netting, trapping,and banding of birds with a talk about migration,purposes of banding, etc. The Observatoryserves as an educational resource for the SanFrancisco Bay area and accommodates over athousand school students a month during migra-tion.

The Observatory was founded in 1965 bymembers of the Western Bird Banding Associ-ation to study the birds of the Point Reyes areaand to provide a training and research centerfor amateur and professional ornithologists.This it has done, and much more. It still wel-comes people who know little about birds, andturns them into capable and highly trained birdstudents. At the same time, numerous gradu-ate students and teachers are using PRBO fa-cilities to pursue their studies. The emphasishas remained fairly evenly divided betweenwork involving banding of birds and researchdepending on field observation. The intent ofmost Observatory studies is to further conser-vation through basic ecological research.

From an original membership of 258 in1965, PRBO has grown to 900 members in 1970.This very rapid growth has been reflected in astaff increase from one part-time biologist tofour full-time biologists and numerous volun-teers. We feel that this growth reflects needsby both the public and the scientific community.One of these needs is for an organization thatdeals with basic research in ecology and con-servation and at the same time has an inde-pendent voice uninfluenced by political pressures

-a voice that "tells it like it is". Organi-zations such as the Sierra Club and AudubonSocieties carry the battle to the public andpoliticians but do little basic research them-selves. Point Reyes Bird Observatory providesthe fuel with which such organizations can buildthe firesof conservation. Another function ofthe Observatory is to provide a bridge betweenthe layman and the professional, thus aiding thenon-professionals in making valuable contri-butions to our knowledge.

In its few years of existence Point ReyesBird Observatory has carried out numerousresearch studies in Marin County and on theFarallon Islands. During 1970 it will coordinatea statewide study of migration movements,manning a dozen stations in various parts of thestate. Its five-year study of Limantour Esteroin Point Reyes National Seashore exemplifiesmuch of its purpose. The National Park Servicerequested help to determine the best use for thearea. Our study made it clear that any major

Continued on page nine

L O S A N G E L E S C H R I S T M A S C O U N TD E C E M B E R 2 7 , 1 9 7 0

*SINCE NO-ONE KNOWS WHAT A "HANDSAW" IS

(PROBABLY A MISPRINT IN HAMLET FOR "HERONCEAU,"MIDDLE ENGLISH AND FRENCH FOR "LITTLE HERON")YOU STILL KNOW A HAWK - SO VOLUNTEER FOR SPOTTINGOR RECORDING ON DECEMBER 27, CALL OR WRITE SANFORDWOHLGEMUTH, 19354 CALVERT STREET/ RESEDA. CALIF.91335, TEL, 344-8531, CR AUDUBON HOUSE, 876-0202,*See lead article, this issue.

FIELD TRIP-Bolsa Chica, Upper NewportBay, October 25. The clear air, cloudless sky,and warm weather at the outset of our trip seemedto be an indication of the good day to come. Withsharp eyes and bright sunshine an exceptionallygolden GOLDEN PLOVER was spotted at BolsaChica. There were many species of shorebirdsalong the edge of the water and everyone had agood chance to distinguish one "peep" from an-other.

As we ate our lunches at the old dam in Up-per Newport, we watched an immature BALDEAGLE pick off a COOT and settle down to eat.Later in the day the OSPREY was observed catch-ing a fish and everyone was able to watch him eatit. Other interesting sightings included a BUR-ROWING OWL, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and CLAP-PER RAIL. As there were several new birdersand eastern birders on the trip, many a life listwas increased because of the 59 species seen dur-ing the day. Leaders, Betty and Laura Jenner

Audubon HouseDepartment

Your Sales Department has added some newgift items to help you during the Christmas shop-ping rush. We have a new line of beautifullyhand carved and hand painted birds mounted ondriftwood. They come in all sizes and pricesrange from $2. 00. We have a variety of speciesand each in their natural colors.

If you are having a party, visiting a friend,or just enjoy having a quiet drink before dinnerwe have attractive hostess sets to make theoccasions more enjoyable. Packaged napkins,coasters, and matches in a variety of combina-tions decorated with owls, roadrunners andSanta's owls to make the season bright; are nowbeing shown at Audubon House.

Come and shop in leisurely surroundings,away from all the hustle and bustle with a fineassortment to please the eye. We are open onSaturday and are equipped for gift wrapping.

S E E O U R S A L E S B R O C H U R E F O RA L I S T O F I T E M S A V A I L A B L EP H O N E O R D E R S A C C E P T E D

8 7 6 - 0 2 0 2

T E N P E R C E N T D I S C O U N TS O M E I T E M S . $0.50 C H A RM A I L I N G.

GE F O R

RECORDS

W A N T E D : H U M M I N G B I R D SThe Los Angeles Audubcn Sales Department wishe

to buy as many copies of Crawford H. Greenewalt'sbook, "Hummingbirds" that are possible. They arenow out of print and cannot be supplied by thepublishers. Anyone having access to this book andare willing to sell or donate it - please contactJanis Robinson at Audubon House or Grace Nixon(271-2788) during the evening hours.

Los Angeles Audubon Society CalendarHEADQUARTERS, LIBRARY AND NATURE MUSEUM LOCATED AT AUDUBON HOUSEPLUMMER PARK, 7377 SANTA MONICA BLVD., LOS ANGELES 90046 876-0202

Mrs. Abigail King, Executive Secretary700 Halliday AvenueLos Angeles, California 90049

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SUNDAY - FIELD TRIP, Griffith Park. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in parking lot in Fern Dell(Western Avenue entrance to the park). This is a close-in, half day field trip which wefeel should be especially attractive to neophyte birders. Leader: to be announced.

WEDNESDAY - CONSERVATION MEETING, Plummer Park, 8:00 p.m., Audubon House.Mrs. Kathryn Brooks, Chairman.

THURSDAY - EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, 8:00 p.m.

TUESDAY - EVENING MEETING, Plummer Park, 8:00 p.m. Program: "Kinabalu"which shows the wildlife and birds of Borneo, presented by Jim Clements and illustrated•with color slides.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY - FIELD TRIP, Carrizo Plain. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in Maricopaat the junction of US 399 and State 166. Besides Sandhill Cranes this trip usually pro-duces LeConte's Thrashers, Ferruginous Hawks, Golden Eagles, Mountain Plovers andmore. Those planning to stay at California Valley Lodge should write or call for reser-vations: California Valley, CA 93453 or phone (805) 475-2272. Leader: to be announced.

SUNDAY - L. A. AUDUBON SOCIETY CHRISTMAS COUNT. Sandy Wohlgemuth, Chair-man. Phone: 344-8531.

THURSDAY - EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, 8:00 p.m.

MONDAY - ANNUAL DINNER - Robaire's, 348 South La Brea. 6:30 p.m. - Social Hour,7:00 p.m. - Dinner. Program presented by Herbert Clarke on East African wildlife.

conservation meetingsJW&UV-i&uAtA/ L & d t

LOS ANGELES AUDUBON SOCIETY

AudubonBird Reports—8741318

Official Publication of theLOS ANGELES AUDUBON SOCIETY7377 Santa Monica BoulevardLos Angeles, Calif. 90046

EDITOR

Assistant EditorField NotesConservationTypingMailing Supervision

GILBERT W. KING

Donald AdamsShumway SuffelKathryn BrooksHanna StadlerHans Hjorth

Subscription to The Western Tanager $2. 50 perannum. The Western Tanager is mailed two orthree days before the first of the month, fourthclass. First-class mailing, $1. 00 extra.

ainJuboi activities

B Y K A T H R Y N B R O O K S

The Audubon Western Regional Office in Sacramentohosted a workshop for the leaders of the Audubon Chap-ters in the 12 western states, on October 24, 1970. Myhusband, Eric, and I were indeed privileged to representthe Los Angeles Audubon Society.

The morning session included a warm welcome fromPaul Howard, our Western Regional Representative.Noting that the AUDUBON SOCIETY IS A CONSERVA-TION & EDUCATION SOCIETY, he then turned theprogram over to Mr. Rudolph J . H. Schafer, Consultant,Conservation Education, California State Department ofEducation.

Mr. Schafer commented that because there is littlecoverage in magazines on how to solve our environmentalproblems, and because public knowledge is vague, thatthere is a real challenge to education to give the publicthe ability to solve the problems. He encourages a"conservation conscience" among students, a programthroughout the grades that encourages each child torelate to his environment directly, how his activitiesaffect the environment. He explained the need tounderstand and teach in the schools I) what can & can-not be done with technology, 2) the social processesinvolved in how to solve them, 3) the economic prob-lems—:how your money affects the environment. Hethen briefly traced the progress towards a real conser-vation program in the schools, starting with the hearingsin 1966. One thing was evident from his discussion;the process of improving the conservation program inthe schools is a slow one.

Mr. William M. Kier, Consultant, Senate Commit-tee on Natural Resources and Wildlife addressed thetopic Conservation Legislation. I was quite pleased tohear his outspoken, frank discussion of the processesinvolved in moving an environmental bill towards becom-ing a law. I was delighted when he picked SB 128,Senator Beilenson's bill to protect endangered species ,to follow through from its initiation by Beilenson's staffman to its final enactment as law. (November 1970Western Tanager, for details.) Mr. Kier explained theneed for "eternal vigilance" in getting the bill passedthrough the various committees and said that SenatorBeilenson was an excellent man for pursuing thesematters. Mr. Kier carefully pointed out that if you

on-westernregional

are planning to introduce environmental legislation,that it is important to pick your sponsor wisely. Someassemblymen and senators will introduce a bill for youand then expect your organization to do all the leg-work, the taking of committee members to lunch, thesearch for counter arguments and evidence , etc . Inthese instances, the introduction of the bill becomesa political press release! He had nothing but praisefor Senator Beilenson, a man who carefully considersproposed legislation before sponsoring i t , and then followsthrough with i t .

Dr. Elvis J . Stahr, President of the National Audu-bon Society, presented "The Outlook for the N.A.S."I was very impressed with his talk and pleased that aman of his competence and frankness represented anddirected the National Audubon Society. Dr. Stahrcommented that the Audubon Society HAS NEVER BEENMORE NEEDED AND MORE ACTIVE. He feels that theoutlook for solving our environmental problems is notbright, but that we have performed a valuable functionin calling attention to the issues. We must continue topoint to the effects of pollution and ecological disasters;we must not be deterred by those who argue that if youhaven't the sollution, you can't complain. The AudubonSociety does not have the resources or staff to performthe necessary research. He stressed that individualefforts towards cleaning our environment are important,but also that we must band together to go after thosemaking group decisions. The chapters are very impor-tant in this respect, but must be careful to not endangerour tax-exempt status. We have a responsibility tomaintain our sanctuaries, and serve a greater functionin encouraging individual letters to legislators, ratherthan maintaining lobbyists. We have an importantadvisory capacity, also, and he mentioned RolandClement having advisory capacity on the Army Corpof Engineers Commission as an example.

With little time remaining, we tried to discuss themajor priority objectives . Many problems were mention-ed, but it was impossible to narrow the field at that time.

To conclude, we felt the conference informativeand interesting, and would have liked more time todiscuss the issues. Jjjij

[environment besieged

: K A T H R Y N B R O O K S .

N.Y. UPHOLDS STATE 'ENDANGERED SPECIES' LAW

New York State's Court of Appeals has upheldthe state's new law to protect endangered species, theMason Act, sponsored by Assemblyman Edwyn E. Mason.The law, which prohibits importation and sale in NewYork of alligator and crocodilian skins, and the furs ofthe leopard, tiger, cheetah, polar bear and others, waschallenged by a shoe concern, the A. E. Nettleton Co.(October Western Tanager) The shoe people won a stayin a lower court, but the state appealed and the lawwas upheld. (Audubon Leader, Vol. I I , No. 19)

WONDERING WHAT TO GIVE YOUR FRIENDS THISCHRISTMAS? What better way to give, than a sub-scription to the magazines of (or membership in) thefollowing organizations.

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, 1130 Fifth Avenue,New York 10028

SIERRA CLUB, 1050 Mills Tower, 220 Bush Street,San Francisco, Ca 94104

COUNCIL for PLANNING and CONSERVATION.Box 228, Beverly Hills, 90213

CALIFORNIA TOMORROW, 68! Market Street,San Francisco 94105

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, Room 9, P.O.Bldg., P.O. Drawer 740, Stony Brook, N.Y. 11790

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY, 729 15th Street, N.W.,Washington D .C . 20005

PCL PRESS RELEASE: A DOZEN MURDERS SOLVED1!!

There was much talk and activity in 1970, "TheYear of the Environment", with few legislative solu-tions to our pollution crisis. The Planning and Conser-vation League has made a valiant attempt to informthe public about the voting records of their CaliforniaAssemblymen and Senators. Over 300 environmentalmeasures were introduced in the California Legislature.Only a handful of major bills became law. PCL's 24dedicated and non-partisan members attended over 150committee hearings on environmental legislation inSacramento. Their findings were released on October 6,1970; a copy can be obtained by writing to: PCL,909 12th Street, Sacramento 95814. Of course, one canfind criticism of the analysis, but we applaud theirefforts and encourage a more extensive study, with ananalysis based on more environmental bills, in 1971.There is , indeed, a need for such a publication, asrecently released, that tells what assemblymen andsenators are kill ing our environmental bills.

Mp-pleasecall Kathryn at 47W30

in the evenings "to

typing . . . mailing . . • running errands . . .participating in telephone alert chain . . . print-ing or duplicating ecology resource materials fordistribution . . . speaking . . . writing letters. . .carrying petitions . . . distributing mater-ials at fairs and conferences . . . making posters. . . draving cartoons & sketches for "WesternOnager". . „ attending hearings . . . analyzingfederal, state, & local legislation -which affectsour environment (in general) and birding (in parti-cular) . . . directing subcommittee activities. . .

SECRETARY HICKEL STANDS FIRM O N JETPORT ISSUE

The training strip still remains in the Big CypressSwamp just above Everglades National Park, at the siteof the proposed jetport, and real estate developers arestill hopefully ditching and draining the surrounding BigCypress. Members of the Everglades Coalition, includ-ing National Audubon, met recently with Interior Sec-retary Hickel. He repeated his firm opposition to a jet-port at the site and said he had no intention of lettingthe search for a new site drag on and on while develop-ers ditched and drained. Conservationists at the meet-ing pressed for public ownership to protect a substantialpart of the Big Cypress. (Aud. Leader, Vol. I I , No. 19)

SOCIETY REBUFFED in law suit to PROTECT WHOOPERS

The National Audubon Society's suit to halt theshell-dredging in San Antonio Bay that is destroying win-ter feeding grounds of the whooping crane has been dis-missed. The decision, in U.S. District Court in theSouthern District of Texas, involved the Society's legal"standing" to bring such a suit and other technical points,rather than any ruling on the effects of the shell-dredg-ing on the shallow waters near the Aransas Nat11 Wild-life Refuge, where the cranes winter, and the nearbyNational Audubon sanctuaries which, in effect, areextensions of the federal preserve. The Society has notyet decided whether to appeal to a higher federal court,start a new action in a state court, or seek further admin-istrative review.

PROPOSED OPEN-PIT MINE IN VENTURA COUNTYThe L.A. Audubon Society urges support of the follow-ing petition issued by the Los Padres Chapter,Sierra Club.

"U.S. Gypsum Co. is applying for a permit tomine phosphates in an area of 2500 acres in Los PadresNational Forest between Highway 33 and Pine Moun-tain Summit Road, northwest of Ojai. This operationwill continue for 40 to 50 years. They plan a series ofpits up to 900 feet wide and 400 feet deep. In conjunc-tion with the mining operation they are planning a pro-cessing plant. Twenty-ton trucks will move 2,000 tonsof material a day from pit to plant (100 trips, plus anequal number from plant to pit). Noise and air pollu-tion from this operation alone will be severe. Gypsummining could be carried on concurrently or followingtermination of phosphate mining. Air pollution thenwould be intolerable.

The proposed mine and plant would lie within theSespe Creek watershed. While U.S. Gypsum has saidthat the plant will not discharge pollutants, the possi-bil ity of accidents cannot be ruled out. Sulphuric andhydrochloric acids are used in processing.

The whole ecology of the area would be seriouslyaffected. The massive earth moving will destroy notonly the present plant l i fe, but result in loss of feedinggrounds for the wildlife of the area (deer, mountainlions, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, birds, etc.). Theirwater holes will be ruined.

The three existing campsites, the trai l , thesprings and water supply would, for all practical pur-poses, be destroyed. All recreational values of thearea would be lost, making it impossible to carry throughplans leading toward establishment of a wilderness areain the adjoining Pine Mountain area (which is consid-ered to be de facto wilderness). With increasing popu-lation pressures the need for more recreational andwilderness areas is becoming acute.

The operation will result in greatly increasedtraffic on Highway 33. Sixty to seventy 20-ton trucksper day will be carrying in sulphur and hydrochloricacid and carrying out phosphoric acid and other pro-ducts produced by the plant. Add to this cars carrying70 workmen back and forth each day. Highway 33 isnot built for this traffic. Inevitably the highway wouldneed to be widened, repairs would be frequent—andyou, the taxpayer, will foot the b i l l .

Increases in people, cars and trucks inevitablylead to greatly increased fire danger in brushy areassuch as this.

Phosphate is at present not in short supply in theUnited States. Twenty percent of the phosphates pro-duced in the United States are being exported. Newsources of the material are being located."

Of course, we are particularly concerned aboutthe California Condor, as increased activities in thearea pose a serious threat to his survival. It is my under-standing, from a conversation with John Borneman,Audubon Condor Naturalist, that we need a change inthe Mining laws which have been on the books sincethe 1800's, which allow these activities to continue asa threat.

HELP SAVE POINT MUGU RECREATION AREA: Forup-to-date information, contact:

Bill Weiler, ECAUSE, Box 301, Pacific Palisades 90272(Phone 454-8957)

Ed Mercurios, UCLA Zoology Department, Los Angeles,Ca 90024 (Home phone: 451-1236)

BUMPER STICKERS AVAILABLE AT AUDUBON HOUSE.

NEW YORK STATE BANS DDT AND RESTRICTS OTHERS.DR. STAHRSAYS NEW CODE "BEST IN NATION."

New York State will ban DDT and nine otherpesticides, effective January I, 1971, and at the sametime will impose stiff limitations on the sale, purchase,and use of about 60 others . The regulations wereauthorized under the State 's Environmental Conserva-tion Law, which was enacted this year, and were drawnup by the new Department of Environmental Conserva-tion. (National Audubon's Executive Vice President,Charles H. Callison, is a member of the Governor'sadvisory board for that department, and Vice PresidentRoland Clement testified at the hearings at which thenew regulations were proposed and discussed.) Bannedoutright will be DDT, Bandane, BHC, Endrin, Mercurycompounds, Selenites and Selenates, Sodium Fluorace-tate (1080), Strobane, Toxaphene and DDD, TDE. Theother 60 can be used only under permit, and only forspecified uses. As Dr. Stahr said in his wire to Govern-or Nelson A. Rockefeller, "all states should follow NewYork's example. " A copy of the code can be obtainedfrom the Department of Environmental Conservation, 50Wolf Road, Albany, N.Y. , 12201. (From AudubonLeader, Volume I I , Number 19 published by NationalAudubon Society for its Chapters and Affiliates.)

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIRDS COlHtUHBLACKBURNIAN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE andPALM WARBLERS. Again this shows that inten-sive birding will produce good birds anywherealong our coast in the fall.

Several people have commented on the largenumber of accipiters seen in late October, andthis confirmed my feeling that Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks were present in unusual numbers.Large raptores are having a difficult time findingsuitable habitat and an adequate food supply in ourincreasingly urbanized area. A very early FER-RUGINOUS HAWK was at Pt. Mugu on September24th (Jon Atwood) and in October an immatureGOLDEN EAGLE was in the same area (SandyWohlgemuth and Ernie Abeles). At Upper New-port Bay an immature BALD EAGLE and anOSPREY were seen through October by manyL. A. A. S. birders who marvelled at the vastnumbers of ducks and shorebirds which are con-centrated there.

The sighting of an adult HARRIS' HAWK nearPt. Mugu by Ernie Abeles brings up the subject of"escapees" again, and an interesting communicationfrom Richard Hilton. He writes about a CARACARAwhich spent two months last summer at ParadiseCove in Malibu, where it became quite a nuisancebegging for handouts, catching hummingbirds atfeeders, and tearing out the rubber stripping aroundview-windows. Attempts were made to catch thebird, but it proved elusive and may very well havemoved up the coast to be sighted near the VenturaMarina in late August.

Not all pelagic trips are as exciting as theones off San Diego in September or off Montereyin early October, but usually they do have atleast one redeeming feature. This was true ofthe trip to the Channel Islands from Port Hueneme

on October 24th. We spent a day at sea underideal conditions without sighting a single shear-water or petrel, but we did find a few CASSIN'SAUKLETS, two ROYAL TERNS, one RED PHALA-ROPE, twenty BLACK OYSTER CATCHERS, andthe bird of the day, an AMERICAN OYSTER-CATCHER. It was sighted on the south side ofAnacapa Island at the same place where one wasdiscovered by the Santa Barbara A. S. in May of1964, and seen again by the L. A. A. S. pelagictrip a year later. It seems probable that we re-discovered the same individual after more thanfive years, as Oyster catchers are notably longlived (20 to 30 years in Europe) and very local.This is only the third record for California since1910.

The morning of October 17th at FurnaceCreek Ranch in Death Valley was one three localbirders will not soon forget. Starting at dawnwith two CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURSwe found three TREE SPARROWS (unprecedented),two HARRIS' and one WHITE-THROATED SPARROW,a LAPLAND LONGSPUR, an INDIGO BUNTING, aVERMILION FLYCATCHER, a YELLOW-SHAFTEDFLICKER and many others, only slightly less rare,for a total of ninety species. Furnace Creek willfurnish good birding through the winter, but thewooded area above Scotty's Castle, and the lake atSaratoga Springs should not be overlooked.

Perhaps the Salton Sea had best be left untillate January after hunting season, but the coastallagoons and bays are crowded with ducks, shore -birds, gulls and divers, while your favorite parkwill have an interesting variety of winter birds.So, a little birding now will pay big dividends atChristmas-Count time, ^f

prbo cdevelopment of the estero would be an ecologicaldisaster. As a result the Park Service hasgreatly modified its original plans. The Liman-tour study not only pointed out the importance ofthis habitat, but also laid the groundwork forcomparative studies in habitat utilization byshorebirds. The latter aspect is now beingpartially supported by the National ScienceFoundation and by the California Department ofFish and Game.

The Observatory has set up a station on theFarallon Islands. These islands, just thirtymiles off the Golden Gate, support the main sea-bird nesting colony on the Pacific Coast and areimportant as a stopping place for migrant landbirds. In 1967 twenty-nine species of warblerswere recorded in two days, and in 1969 the Ob-servatory added five species to the Californialist (White-eyed Vireo, Field Sparrow, Cassin'sSparrow, Baird's Sparrow, and Yellow-throatedWarbler). The Observatory is now being calledupon to protect as well as study the Farallones.The U. S. Coast Guard, which has protected theislands from vandals since 1909, is automating

its station on Southeast Farallon and withdraw-ing its men. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice, which will take over control of the islands,does not have funds to establish a caretakerthere. San Francisco conservationists feelthat a full-time surveillance is essential; andbecause of its present investment in the islands,will be available to researchers. A recent triporganized by the Observatory indicated that, ifresearch space is available, studies would beinitiated not only on all aspects of ornithologybut also on insects, introduced land mammals,marine mammals, marine invertebrates, andeven on excavated bones of sea mammals nowextinct on the island.

Point Reyes Bird Observatory has alwaysdepended on private contributions. Special con-tracts with various state and federal agenciesenable us to carry out specific work, but ourcore program is maintained by the members.We need your moral and financial support. Ourheadquarters near Bolinas is open year round,and we would welcome your visit any time, £**

Shumway Suffel

Birds .wm

highlight of December, for abirder, may not be Christmasitself, but instead may be his

particular "Christmas Count" or "Counts. " Thisis a little hard for unenlightened mortals to under-stand, but for us it's an annual chance to cooperatewith other friendly birders in a comprehensive birdpopulation survey of our area. Statistics derivedfrom these counts are in no sense absolute, butthey do indicate where species can be found and inwhat numbers, with the relative numbers fromyear to year indicating population trends which maybe important. A. little preparation for the "count"can be enjoyable and worthwhile. Plan to coveryour favorite birding area before "count" day tolocate the spots which flocks or individual birdsprefer, and to " pin down" anything unusual. Thenarrange with the count leader to cover that area on"count" day.

Late September and early October lived up toexpectations as the most exciting time of the yearto be afield, but it apparently was an early seasonfor migrants, and particularly for vagrants. Sincevagrants, by definition, are lost birds, we usuallyexpect them to straggle through our area for sometime after the regular west coast migrants havecome and gone, but this year there were very fewsmall vagrants after mid-October. The Craigs onPt.Loma banded a TENNESSEE WARBLER on Oc-tober 21st and a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WAR-BLER a few days later. Shirley Wells at PalosVerdes, not to be outdone, banded both a TENNES-SEE WARBLER and a BLACK-THROATED BLUEWARBLER on November 3rd and managed to voteand to bird most of the morning as well. Not allthe late warblers were banded, however, as AbigailKing and Jean Brandt found a LUCY'S WARBLERat Tapia Park on October 21st, while Jon Dunn andKim Garrett report a PARULA WARBLER at Mor-ongo Valley on the 18th. Earlier in the monthRusty Scalf found a NORTHERN WATER THRUSHforaging along the edge of the shallow end, whichis all that remains of Harbor Lake,

Perhaps the best bird in October was theSHARP-TAILED SPARROW (Nelson's race) seenby the Kings and the Tatums at Upper Newport Bayon October 17th. Gilbert King furnished a convinc-ing description made in the field of this rare andsecretive sparrow, which has not been seen local-ly for several years. Had it not been for an extremehigh tide, it is unlikely that this mouse-like birdwould have left the cover of the dense marsh vege-tation. Also at Upper Newport Bay a BLACK RAIL

was reported on September 20th. This was a lifebird for Jim Huffman, but for Olga Clarke it washer second sighting this year. Less fortunate bird-ers are likelv to see one in a lifetime.

Most winter birds were present in goodnumbers by late October, which is a little early.Betty Jenner and Shirley Wells, among others,mentioned large numbers of SPARROWS andPURPLE FINCHES present in the lowlands inearly November. CEDAR WAXWINGS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and CHIPPING SPARROWSand JUNCOS were found in large flocks. With theOREGON JUNCOS were quite a few GRAY-HEADEDJUNCOS (normally only a handful are seen eachwinter): Willard Skiles had one at his Malibu feed-er for over two weeks; there were two togetherbelow San Diego (Dave deSante and Bob Cooper)with a third one on near-by Pt. Loma; and in themountains one was at Charlton Flats (RichardBradley) and another was in the James Reserve,San Jacinto Mts. (Lee Jones). Strangely enough,only two SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS were report-ed — one at Tapia Park (Ernie Abeles), and one atMt.View Cemetary in Altadena. "Slate-colored"are usually more common than "Gray-headeds. "Kim Garrett found a WHITE-HEADED WOOD-PECKER near the large reservoir in the HollywoodHills on October 22nd. There are very few recordsof this typically mountain bird in the lowlands. Onthe other side of the hills, Kim found a femaleHOODED MERGANSER on the settling ponds of theLos Angeles River. A few LEWIS'S WOODPECKERSare found locally nearly every winter, but this maybe a good year with one seen at Lower Chilao (EllenStephenson) and another at Furnace Creek Ranch,Death Valley.

The first 1970 report of a FRANKLIN'S GULLalong the coast was of an immature at Malibu Lagoonon October 26th by Ed Navajowsky. Two more werefound on November 4th — one at Upper Newport Bayand another at Bolsa Chica. They apparently weremoving through fast, as none of these three could befound a few days later. The seldom seen, nocturnal,LONG-EARED OWL was found in the extensive ri-parian growth on the west side of the Hansen Dambasin by Hank Brodkin on November 1st.

Reports from Jon Atwood and RichardWebster in Santa Barbara indicate that they arefinding just as good birds there as others arehere or in San Diego. They give us our only 1970reports of an EASTERN PHOEBE and of not onebut two PIGEON HAWKS. In addition they founda RED-EYED VIREO, seven TENNESSEE WAR-BLERS, six BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, and single

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