california Condor Eben McMillan 29 February 1964 A quick storm moved in last night and resulted in light showers falling before midnight. Clouds were still covering the horizon at sunrise, but were now moving from the Northwest. A light frost was in evidence this morning and a gentle wind was blowing from the North. As we drove down the Bitterwater Valley it was evident that the only light showers had fallen in this area that needs rain so badly. As we passed by the mouth of Bitterwater Valley an immense flock of linnets flew from the roadside about two miles east of the Bitterwater Water Wells and flew over to the sterile, eroded, white, foothills, that mark the western flank of Bitterwater Valley as it opens out upon the San Joaquin Valley Plains, and alighted on the bare white areas and seemed to be feeding, or picking up gravel. As we stopped to photograph this tremendous flock of linnets they flew into the air and after gaining about 400 feet of elevation, broke into two separate flocks that momentarily separated themselves about 1/4 mile before converging again, one flock going west and the other east and then all swinging together in one disorganized group. Flocks of birds this large are rather difficult to describe and to estimate in number. Ian had a covey of quail that I once time photographed in flight and from this photograph we arrived at a number of 800 quail. This flock of linnets we saw this morning were at least 100 times in number more than Ian's flock of quail. More rain had fallen on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley to the east of Famosa, Kern County. Also past rains had-