Page:Condor3(5).djvu/10

 THE CONDOR [ Vol. III Birds Recorded at Paicines, San Benito Co., California. BY J. & J, w. MAILLIARD. HE APPENDED LIST is compiled from notes and records made by my broth- er and myself at Rancho Paicines during many visits of from two to ten days duration at various times of the year since 888. In this work we have been greatly aided by the resident superintendent, Mr. Peter Kelly, who is naturally a shrewd observer, and who has taken a deep interest in the bird life of the locality. Our observations have been confined to this ranch and the immediate neigh- borhood, probably not covering over thirty square miles. Most unfortunately a valise containing some valuable notes and records of ours was stolen from a trans- fer wagon and never recovered. We are not sure of having closed the gap made by this loss. Paicines is situated on the northern slope of a comparatively dry belt, Holli- ster ten miles north being the approximate limit of copious rains. The annual rainfall at Paicines varies from four inches in dry seasons to fifteen or more in wet winters, twelve inches when properly distributed insuring good crops. The re- suit of this light precipitation, together with the coolness of the climate as com- pared with the southern and interior valleys of the State is that many of the resi- dent birds are intermediate between the dark northern and coast forms and the lighter ones of the true interior and south. The ranch consists mostly of open rolling land on both sides of the San Benito River, with some alluvial bottoms, occasional oak groves, many scattering oaks, sage brush and chaparral tracts, and clumps of cottonwoods or willows here and there beside the stream. Like many California rivers the San Benito can only be dignified with such a name immediately after a heavy rainfall in the mountains, as for the greater part of the time it is but a small stream, often dry for long stretches in the summer. Its valley is bounded on the southwest by the Gabilan Range which is some 3000 feet high and is covered on its northeast slope with dig- ger pines and chaparral. On the ranch are large tracts of open pasture land, hundreds of acres of level grain fields and an alfalfa patch of oo acres under irriga- tion, but no orchard or vineyard. From this brief description it will be seen that the character of the country is quite diversified and the variety of birds correspondingly large. Many different species of ducks follow the river in the fall and winter and often light upon the small ponds and lagoons in its neighborhood, or upon the deeper spots in the river itself. Some waders also appear from time to time, killdeer thrive along the moist gravel beds and some colonies of herons maintain themselves without difficulty. In the following list "summer resident" means breeding birds, while "common resident" does not mean abundant unless so stated,--it is meant to convey the idea more of even distribution and ordinary occurrence than of large numbers, while of course "sparingly resident" means that though fairly evenly distributed the numbers are small. These terms are used in order to have the text as concise as possible and yet make the matter clear. . Colymbus auritus. Horned Grebe. One record only; ? Oct. 54, 9oo. 2. Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. Casual winter resident. 3. Larus californicus. California Gull. Casual winter visitant. 4- Phalacrocorax dilophus albociliatus. Farallone Cormorant. Occasionally seen in winter and spring. 5. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. American White Pelican. Occasionally seen in winter.