July 2 Horse Beach, San Mateo Co. Calif. I pressed the film. C.I. gave me about 500 fps from space L.C. Bunker and I saw one at the same spot June 17, 1973 These are the only times I've seen this species. The most common diet now seems to be earthworms, not snails as in older snail-free areas. Some birds eat earthworms, but also have been observed eating other insects, including flies and beetles. A few days ago we saw a bird that was feeding on the ground near our campsite. We found several small mammals, including voles, mice, and shrews. One vole had eaten some of the bait we had left out for them. We also saw a fox eating some of the bait. The fox seemed to be looking for something specific, as it kept returning to the same area where we had placed the bait. It appeared that the fox was trying to dig up something buried under the soil. After several attempts, it gave up and left. We also observed a group of raccoons feeding on the bait. They seemed to be working together to remove the bait from its container. The raccoons were very active and appeared to be enjoying their meal. We noted that the raccoon population had increased significantly in recent years, possibly due to the availability of food sources such as garbage dumps and bird feeders. This increase in raccoon numbers may have contributed to the decline in ground squirrel populations observed during our study period. In conclusion, this field trip provided valuable insights into the behavior and ecology of various species in California. It highlighted the importance of understanding local ecosystems and how they are affected by human activities such as habitat destruction and pollution. Further research is needed to better understand these dynamics and develop effective conservation strategies.