--------.

'Waucoba
------_._-_.._--_.-----­
ews
Sponsored by The Bishop Museum & Historical Society, Bishop. CA 93514 Volume Viti
Founded and Edited by Enid A. Larson, Box 265, Big Pine. CA 93513 SPRING - 1"984
Subscription: Four 9" long stamped self-addressed envelopes 4 issues per year
or a membership ($5.00) in Bishop Museum

Waucoba: PaJ.ute "lord Eor--"pine tree";' also highe-st peak in lnyo Mts., 11,127

HIGH CLOUD OVER OWENS VALLEY

Photograph by EAL - Zeiss Condiflex

To those who raise an eyebrow and ask
Do you live alone?
My answer is:
"Certainly not! I live with the
ants and the spiders."
Book Review
===== ======
Two 1musual books on Natural Histf!l!fand
Ecology recently have been publishe~by the
University of Massachusetts Press. Not only
is the writing by DrQ Dethier a delight but
an enormous amount of information has been
assembled on interrelationships that exist
among kinds of animals living around and in
proximity to human habitations o Dro Vincent
Dethier is a skillful raconteur who holds
your attention chapter by chapterQ
THE ECOLOGY OF A SUMMER HOUSE is concerned
with those small animals that unobtrusively
have found shelter and protection in a
cabin unoccupied by man throughout many
months of the winter season in Maineo When
a deer mouse carries its young to a new den­
site, individual by individual, how does the
mother know when all have been relocated? Or
has one been forgotten?
This small volume gives, not a listing of
animals, but "provides an introduction to
some of the exquisite beauty and activities
that are so easily overlooked" by mart~ From
this account a reader can gain "awareness and
appreciation of the many complex manifesta­
tions of life in this world and of our
participation in the biological wonders"
that can be met with by anyone embarking
on a journey of exploration and discoveryo
The second volume, Life History of the
Tent Caterpillor, will be reviewed in the
next issue of WAUCOBA NEWS along with notes
on the appearance of great numbers of the
immature stages of this insect in our
immediate area during this season, 1984.
 BIRDS
CATILE EGRET. Arnold Small in The Birds of
California lists cattle pastures as the
primary habitate of this species. This
bird, a medium size heron-type, is often
sighted in <:Mens Valley. It is an Old
World S[J'ri.es "first found breeding in
1970 at the Salton Sea in Imperial Counr
ty where it was first seen in California
in 1964." Now it has spread northward
the length of the state. Cattle Egrets,
Bubulcus ibis, have been naturalized in
North America; they feed primarily on
insects; often seen perched on the backs
of, cattle and horses. South of Bishop
a group of at least 6 were wading in
shallow water where pastureland was be­
ing flood irrigated. (late April, first
week of May).
BAlD EAGlE. In Mid-February, 1984, Luis
Parra observed an adult Bald Eagle in
the air east of Big Pine, Ca. Two days
later this bird was seen in flight south­
ward toward Tinemaha Reservoir by Enid A.
Larson.
WHITE-TAILED KITE. One was seen by Enid A.
Larson on April 22, 1984 in low flight
over a cow pasture in late afternoon as
if it was foraging. Band on tail indi­
cated an inmature.
BlACK PHOEBE. E. Pollorino reported one
seen at her yard in west Big Pine. An0­
ther was seen by Enid A. Larson in her
yard in Big Pine in last week of Febru­
ary, 1984.
CALIFORNIA LINNET (House Finch) has been in
abundance this spring season; flocks
coming frequently for free water.
EASTERN KINGBIRD. One came to water in yard
on Flower Alley in Big Pine on March 26,
1984. This bird is rarely seen in Cali­
fornia.
WE..'ITERN KINGBIRD. This flycatcher has been
noted feeding on the grOtmd this spring
season; apparently changing foraging hab­
its as a consequence of this very dry
spring with few flying insects available.
'fCWNSEND SOLITAIRE. 'TWo of these birds were
reported in Big Pine in March, 1984; last
seen on April 2 when one came to my bird
bath and drank. A. Currier had observed
this species in a yard on Crocker Ave.,
Big Pine and had called rrrj attention to
it. - Enid A. Larson
WHITE PELICANS were in flight northward in
early May, 1984. M. Foster and D. Giul­
i-affi-eaeh obse1:"'\fed a group ef--about 50­
birds over Big Pine. Wind interferred
with their regular flight pattern. The
sight of the flight of this species is
one of the most exhilarating and pleas­
ing that an observer can see as migrants
move along the Owens Valley segment of
the Pacific Flyway.
SKYSCAPES
A volume of Cloud Photos will
be available for distribution
by: June 1, 1984
'!HE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF A SPECIES
Dr. Grinnell in 1920 called attention to
absence as being as important as no­
ting the presence and numbers of a
species. This year there has been an
absence of the flaming masses of SCAR­
LET LOCO blooms along Westgard Rd.
Onl Y 2 plants bloaned, both on north­
facing slopes, (SOOO - 6000 ft. el.).
'!HE WHITE-TAILED ANTELOPE SQUIRREL contin­
ues to be absent along Westgard Rd.
~ (Highway 168 east) for the second year.
Only 1 individual has been seen so far
in 1984; in an earlier year at least
13 individuals were counted along the
same linear distance and at the same
elevation.
INSECTS
This year's low rainfall caused most
species of springtime desert insects
to appear in unusually low numbers.
Investigations on the distribution of
the dune weevil Trigonoscuta had to be
abandoned for this year When I was unr
able to locate a single specimen at any
of several known populations.
The checkerspot butterfly, Charid3as neu­
moegeni, is a good indication 0 condi­
tions in the desert during spring. I
encountered less than a dozeri though it
is normally seen in large numbers
throughout April along dry washes and
dirt roads wherever the Mohave Aster
grows.
The situation may be worse south of" I-q,yo
County for John Emnel writes "I was out
in the Mohave Desert 3 weeks ago in sev­
eral neumoegeni localities and failed to
see any bUt for a lone male, the lowest
numbers of neumoegeni I have ever seen.
Desert conditions were also the poorest
I have seen for early April. It looked
like mid-surrmer out there. No annuals;
and perennials were dying back."
D. Giuliani
The World of the Tent Makers by V. Dieth,1 er..
Univ. or:Massachusetts, 1980 with dra~
ings by A. Rorer is an armchair journey
into the NATURAL WORlD. This author
traces the life history of the tent cat­
erpillar within the total context of
Nature; in doing so, he verbally pic­
tures the larger and smaller worlds dur­
ing the total life span of these small
creatures. His wit, biological under­
standing and keen abilities in observa­
~.. ~- tion,;.adds dimension to- o~ knewle.dge-.
and ~es the reading of this account one
of Nature Library's outstanding trea­
sures.
Highly recommended for a most enjoyable few
hours of reading.
Enid A. Larson
ORDER FROM: The Spellbinder or
Northcountry Publishing in
Bishop, CA 93514 or Waucoba
Press, Big Pine, CA 93513
PRICE: $16000