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Rare Takes for San Mateo County, California

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For the past few years I have been steadily adding to my list of county birds, and at this time think it of sufficient importance to record some of the rarer ones, and also one taken in another part of the State.

Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus). One immature female in juvenal plumage taken off San Bruno in San Francisco Bay on December 23, 1907.

Pacific Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis glupischa). Female taken in the bay near Redwood City, February 4, 1906; others seen at different times.

Ashy Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa). Female taken November 9, 1909, on the bay near Redwood City. Another reported on November 16, 1911, near Redwood City.

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris). Numbers of these ducks are taken almost every fall on the bay, and several are in my collection; also a fine male in breeding plumage taken from a flock of a dozen on a small lake near Menlo Park, February 16, 1910.

Barrow Golden-eye (Clangula islandica). After examining hundreds of specimens of golden-eyes for many years past, I at last succeeded in securing a young male, in immature plumage on November 19, 1908, and a female on November 28, 1910; all others were of the common, or American Golden-eye, which are quite plentiful during the fall migration on the Redwood City salt marshes.

Old-squaw (Harelda hyemalis). Two specimens, female, on December 17, 1909, and male on January 25, 1910, on the bay near Redwood City. Others have been seen the past two winters.

American Scoter (Oidemia americana). A single female taken on the bay near Redwood City Creek on January 17, 1909; probably the only record for inland waters in California.

Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus). One taken on February 14, 1902, and another on October 15, 1907. These are the only specimens I have ever noticed in the county.

Brewer Sparrow (Spizella breweri). Two specimens collected in city limits, one taken on December 7, 1893, the other on February 17, 1897. The sex of both is in doubt owing to shot holes. No others of this species have been seen.

California Least Vireo (Vireo belli pusillus). Only one record for the county, a male taken on April 5, 1905, in city limits.

Emperor Goose (Philacte canagica). One specimen, a female, taken at Rio Vista, California, November 3, 1910. This is as far as I know the fourth record from the State. The bird was with a large flock of American White-fronted Geese and was in very poor flesh. Mr. Charles H. Smith of the above city kindly presented the specimen to the writer, saying that he had never killed or even heard of such a bird being seen in that locality before, where thousands of geese are taken yearly.

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