May 5, 1949 Gray Looge State Refuge, SW Butte Co., California, 930-1030 a.m. Clear and warm. In contrast to past years, almost all the water areas are being drained this year so that cattails and bulrush may be plowed under, and dikes and control gates may be repaired. There are few waterfowl in the area. Drying mud flats are in evidence. Pied-billed Grebe Farallon Cormorants White Pelicans - at least 50 seen, up to 30 in the air at one time. All were in full adult plumage, and about 25 possed the breeding "horn" on the upper bill. John Cowan, Mgr., was surprised when I suggested they might be nesting at the refuge. They were present all last summer, but he thought they were immatures. He will keep his eye open this year. Blue Herons American Egrets Snowy Egrets - very few American Bittern Black-crowned Night Herons Cackling Geese - 25 flew over. They usually leave by now, with stragglers present until about May 15 according to Cowan and Cloyd. Mallards - The nest at the edge of the gravel road seen last time had hatched out. John Cowan told me only 3 successfully left the nest. There had been 8 eggs. Pintail Cinnamon Teal - Vultures common Marsh Hawks Sparrow Hawks Pheasants - 100's and 100's Coots - few Killdeer - 3 nests in gravel roads about the refuge. 3, 4, and 4 eggs. Avocet - one small patch of "salt grass" where alkali concentrates were on top of the soil on this flat area contained 2 avocet and 1 stilt nest. The adults were on the nests in plain view of us, just 30-50 feet from the car. The nests were always in the open, without protection of any vegetation more than 2" & high. Found 3 avocet nests - all contained 4 eggs. The eggs were strangly tapered at one end, a gray-green color, with darker blotching. They were larger than the stilt eggs, and a lighter base color, as well. I took one pic. Black-necked Stilt - Only saw one nest, containing 4 eggs. It was with 2 of the avocet ne nests mentioned above. Nests were about 15 feet apart. The stilt eggs were th same shape as the avocets, but slightly smaller, and the gray-green color was much darker than the avocet eggs, and the blotching was much the same. Black Terns - common wherever the fields are being flooded for rice-growing, etc. About 10 days ago I was up through this same area, but not a tern was seen. John says they just arrived during the past few days, evidently working their way northward. Mourning Doves - nest in locust at 8½ feet. Burrowing Owl - pair still occupying burrows along fence near gate to refuge. Monterey Red-shafted Fricker Black Phoebe Western Kingbirds Robins California Shrikes W. Meadowlarks. Calif. Bicolor Redwings Bullock's Orioles Brewer Blackbirds