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Some April Nesting Notes from the Vicinity of Buena Vista Lake, Kern County, California

G. Willett

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A party composed of Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Howard, Mr. H. Sandberg and the writer spent most of April 1 and the forenoon of April 2 in the brushy country bordering Buena Vista Lake. Our time was occupied in search of nests of the various land birds of the locality, the particular objectives being the nests of Sage and Leconte thrashers. On April 1 the first find was a partially constructed nest of the Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoples montanus), one of the birds being shot after it left the nest. Another nest in about the same stage of construction was found a short time later. At this nest both birds were present. In this same vicinity was found a nest of the Leconte Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei) containing two newly hatched young and one addled egg. The female was flushed from the nest and the male was observed singing from the top of a bush nearby.

The afternoon of April 1 was spent in the vicinity of the Maricopa oil fields, near the west end of the lake. Here Mrs. Howard made the first find, a nest of the Leconte Thrasher containing four eggs about half incubated. During the remainder of the afternoon five other nests of this thrasher were found, as follows. By O. W. Howard, two nests containing three and four slightly incubated eggs, respectively; by Mr. Sandberg, one nest containing three young, and by the writer, two nests, one of which contained three nearly grown young and the other two newly hatched young and one addled egg. All these nests were located in atriplex bushes. In the same locality four nests of the Bell Sparrow were noted. Three of these contained slightly incubated eggs and the fourth-newly hatched young. Camp was made for the night by the lake shore.

On the morning of April 2 the only thing of interest noted was a Roadrunner's nest lined with burlap. This nest contained seven slightly incubated eggs. Other nests noted were California Shrike with five eggs and Western Crow with four. Tree Swallows were abundant and were nest building generally in the willow timber.

Forrester Id., Alaska

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