Transcribing the field notes of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

cat page #1273 2

Lassen Section, Calif. 1925 (June-Aug.)

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section Date: June 11, 1925 Page Number: 2458

Left Berkeley in the Ford with the "family" (Hilda, Molly and Dick) at 5 a.m., reaching Red Bluff at 4 p.m. on the highway near Gerber, Tehama Co. (and within our "section") saw a smashed Boyle King Snake (Lampropeltis boylii). At several of the culverts beneath the highway (Corning to Red Bluff) were Barn Swallows, a pair flying about each culvert. Even when these were only about 2 1/2 feet in height of space beneath, the swallows appeared to be nesting within. Continued on from Red Bluff east to Dale's, where we had supper. Out of Red Bluff about 4 miles, just on to the lava country, saw a Raven in flight overhead from direction of Tuscan Buttes. At Dale's we were impressed with the abundance of birds, just as last May. I saw, among others: Western Yellowthroat; Long-tailed Chat (a remarkable mimic - for instance, one gave the "pe-ark" of a Pacific nighthawk perfectly, so that I peered aloft for the author until the chat above my head in an oak whistled); Willow Goldfinch (several, males nearly fully yellow); Killdeer (nearly fullgrown young in vegetable garden, tufts of down on ends of tailfeathers showing plainly); etc. Citellus douglasi seem more numerous along the road than last year. Saw an Gray Squirrel near the creek about a mile below Dale's, near where Willard shot the one last winter.

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 Date: June 12, 1925 Page Number: 2460

slopes of Inskip Hill); Calif. Woodpecker; Nuttall Woodpecker; Calif. Purple Finch (very common and in full song here in the black oaks); Linnet (equally common and in full song); Western Tanager (one in full song, as I write); Cassins Vireo and Western Warbling Vireo (equally in evidence); Wood Pewee (common); Ash-Throated Flycatcher ( "buckaroo" song heard early in the morning from slopes of Inskip Hill; Black-Throated Gray Warbler (several singing males); Lutescent Warbler (one singing male) Western Lark Sparrow (several); Western Chipping sparrow (common and singing); Green-backed Goldfinch (singing birds almost continually within hearing); Wren-tit (heard song from bushy slopes of Inskip Hill; Valley Quail (sentinel call of male in distance); Plain Tit (one pair, in black oaks); Slender-billed Nuthatch (very common); Bullock Oriole (one heard); Morning Dove (several have flown past); The "stream" right here is now dry - all the water taken out for the ranches around Payne Creek P.O. But down below here a few rods a narrow canyon begins, cut down thru the lava cap, and there, there are potholes with water, the source, apparently, for the birds of these woods. Along the ravine are luxurious golden oaks, densely blooming syringia (Philadelphus), ash trees, etc. Up in the rocky walls are bushes of Cercis and Rhus Trilobata.

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: Lassen Section Date: June 12-13, 1925 Page Number: 2461

Left our Payne Creek P.O. camp about 8 a.m. and proceeded on up the "Lassen Volcanic Highway", now in excellent shape. Arrived at Mineral about 10 a.m., and made our permanent camp, inside the fence which protects the "National Forest Camp-ground" from cattle. This is about 1/2 mile above (northeast of) the present postoffice and store called Mineral, and that far off the new thorough highway, which goes east to Morgan, Westwood, Susanville, etc. Our campsite is ideal - wonderful dryish slope beneath silver and red firs, ceanothus chaparral adjacent, a spring of cold clean water handy, and the edge of the Battle Creek Meadows within a few minutes' walk. The water in the various streams which meander thru the pastures is not safely drinkable. The abundance of birds in full song is bewildering. First impression is that never in any locality (unless the Colorado River bottom in May) have I encountered more plentiful bird life. Saw a family of bob-tailed young Juncos already out, despite the tardiness of the season (it snowed here a week ago according to the people at the store). Splendidly clean and warm here now, though. June 13, 1925. Joseph Dixon and family came up yesterday, too, and are camped close by. Spent the