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Collector: Grinnell - 1925
Location: La Grulla, 7200 ft.
Date: Oct. 2
Page Number: 2562

relatively heavy chaparral) just below the western rim
of the San Pedro Martir plateau. That belt, I
suspect, marks the greatest humidity of the air and
highest rainfall in the region. In that belt, of
upper Sonoran (least arid) one finds the most
forms of animal life like those characterizing
the same associations (tho much lower there)
in northern California. I refer to Calif. Jays,
Hutton Vireos, Bush-Tits, Nuttall Woodpeckers, etc.
My today's impression of the bird-life here, but that
it is plentiful. It certainly is right here, but this
impression is probably because of the watering-
place afforded, so that birds that have to drink
frequently are concentrated here. However, the
commonest bird of all, probably does not seek water
often; this is the so-called white-naped nuthatch, a
race of the Pigmy in which I doubt that there is
any exceptional amount of white on the nape.
These birds are all thru the Jeffrey pines -- no other
conifers in sight (save a few incense cedars I saw
on the way over from La Canoa); hereafter I shall
call them just pines. Pigmies are within hearing
all the time, either their little-chicken-like notes or
the earnest hammering delivered to the dry
opening cones in situ at the ends of the pine branches.
The next commonest bird is the San Pedro Bluebird,
just like the Western in notes and behavior. They
forage both up in the pines and on or near the