645 1:30 P.M. The road-runner is still here, "singing" quite frequently. Although he is about 200 feet from here at the moment, I am able to hear his cooing--windows closed, yet his song is soft and low. I expect a decrease in the lizard population if he hangs around much longer. The young thrashers, or one of them, have resumed recording. Grosbeaks Black-headed Grosbeaks arrived today in full song. April 17th. Roadrunner. At 6:30 A.M. the Roadrunner was calling down in the orchard-- a very good place for lizards sunning themselves on the walls. Oriole. 8:30 A.M. The first Bullock Oriole of the season is here. These birds and the grosbeaks have timed their arrival well with the ripening of the Guigne cherries, now showing color. Roadrunner. At this time the Roadrunner was seen and heard about 100 yards to the S.E. I went out and stalked him to within 10 feet, seeing plainly the red, white and blue area about his eyes. He came back here. I called Dr. Reynolds to come and see him (and hear him), finding that he had already exhibited himself this A.M. at Dr. Reynolds' house. However Dr. Reynolds came over. I could still hear the bird and thought he was but a few feet from me; but Dr. R. pointed him out to me near the top of a cypress tree about 250 yards away at the Robinsons' directly in line with the Reynolds home. He could be plainly heard at that distance and seen to bow his head when calling. We returned to R's house (300 yds. plus or minus). The bird went up and sat on the kitchen chimney-top and sat there for perhaps a half hour, calling at intervals. In calling, he first lowers his head, then "pumps out" his call. In a half hour or so he was back at my place, and in another like period of time, again up in the cypress at Robinson's about 30 feet above the ground, then back here again. On his return here he climbed the old oak at the glade and called from over my head for ten or fifteen minutes. Brownie was somewhat disturbed at his presence, eyeing him from the ground frequently and commenting. It was more or less the same thing during the afternoon; four of us observing him frequently at different places. We do not seem to frighten him. This really good territory for him, barring cats. Plenty of lizards, cover and open ground, and at one secluded place at the Robinsons'; a large patch of prickly pear (cactus) 6 or 8 feet high. Brownie and his new wife were pretty well concerned with each other during the afternoon, but B came to the glade at intervals to attend to the young, who are now big and strong and gradually coming to me for food on their own initiative, and getting bugs and bees by their own efforts. They do not eat out of the dishes, even when their chins are virtually hanging over their rims, but want B to pick up the food for them and push it down their throats. They are now playing tag with each other.