Page:Condor9(6).djvu/21

Nov., ?9o7 A COLLECTING TRIP BY WAGON TO EAGLE LAKE i87 nests were found in a grain field on the northwest side, with 7, 8, and 10 eggs respectively. Aythya vallisneria. Canvas-back. One was seen alone swimming about four hundred yards from the shore of Lake. Aythya collaris. Ring-necked Duck. Many seen in pairs, or old with young; always close to shore and not as shy as other ducks; inhabits the lake margins where many dead trees lie in the water. Often seen perched on limbs of dead pines above water. Branta canadensis occidentalis. White-cheeked Goose. Common at the Lake but hard to approach; many broods seen about half grown. Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. One was flushed from a swamp in Papoose Valley, June 28. Heard several times at the Lake. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Many were seen on rivers; and two nests with young were noted in pine trees with the colony of Cormorants on the north- west side of the Lake. Railus virginianus. Virginia Rail. Plentiful in Big Meadows and Papoose Valley. At the latter place a set of eggs was taken. Nest laid in low tules, com- posed of dry coverings of tules. Also breeding at Lake in fair numbers. Fulica americana. American Coot. Breeding in large numbers in Big Meadows, Big Springs, Plumas County, and Eagle Lake. Phalaropus tricolor. Wilson Phalarope. Seen at Papoose Valley and Big Meadows. Two old and one chick in down taken at the former place July 1. Gallinago delicata. Wilson Snipe. Seen at Papoose Valley July 1, and at Big Meadows June 19. Actodromas minutilla. Least Sandpiper. Seen at Lake July 11.. Actiris macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. Fairly common at Lake; one set of four eggs found and young in down taken June 28, July 7 and July 11, all about the same age, three or four days old. Always seen flying along rivers and creeks most anywhere in the Sierras. ?Egialitis vocffera. Killdeer. Breeding commonly at the Lake and in Papoose Valley. 0reortyx pictus pinmiletus. Mountain Partridge. Seen only in Big Meadows, on Feather river, where they breed rather plentifully. Three large broods seen August 11. Columba fasciata. Band-tailed Pigeon. Two birds were seen sitting on the tip of a tall pine in the mountains above Butte Meadows, August 18. None seen at the Lake. Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. Seen at intervals thru the Sierras; quite numerous at Big Meadows and occasionally shot at Eagle Lake. A few bred at the northwest end of the Lake three miles from our camp. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. Common at the Lake. Accipiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. A male was taken at the Lake August 4. Buteo borealis calurus. Western Red-tail. A few pairs breed at the Lake. We found a nest in a pine tree on the northwest side, with two half-grown young, July 7. Halieeetus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. One was seen at the Lake June 26 and 27. Was not seen again after we pitched camp. Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. A few were seen at the Lake and one shot. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey. Two nests were found at