Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-21
HARB1NGERs OF SPRING.
How Tenderfoot Was Blisled by {
Advent of the Robins,

How Tenderfoot Was blisled by the
Advent of the Robins.
A correspondent Of the Forest and Stream
of New York, writing from Auburn, Placer
county, says: lone feature of the effect of
the severe winter on this coast is the pres
ence with US of great numbers of birds
that usually winter further north. Wild
pigeons are with us in countless focks.
The varied thrush or Oregon robin, called
here 'tree robin" has invaded us in
hordes. Both this and the common robin
make their winter home in this State, but
we have never seen the Oregon robin so
plentiful before, probably because they
are all driven down out of the northern
portions of their wintering grounds. This
little city has been invaded by them, and
every yard and lot has its dozens, hunting
the elusive earthworm."
The severe winter on this coast has
very little to do with the Sacramento val
ley and the foothill section Its severity
here has consisted simply of prolonged
rain-storms, which have been no heavier
than in many seasons heretofore. High
up in the Sierra Nevada there has been an
unprecedented fall of snow, it is true; but
there the winters-as in all high attitudes
are always severe.
The writer of the article elsewhere refers
to the unusual number of wild pigeons
seen in the foothills. whose presence has
been caused by cold weather in Northern
California" As a matter of fact there are
more wild pigeons in the foothills farther
to the south, clear down into Mariposa
county, and possibly hundreds of miles
below there. The presence uf these birds
in fhaf lie 10 Nv,
In the higher attitudes of the Sierra Ne
vada and Coast Range 1.-The woods are full
of them" and scarcely year passes that
they do not come down into the foothills
and valleys to feed on the acorns They
usually come in February and March, and
the magnitude Of the migration is regulated
by the severity of the snowfall in the high
mountains, and not by the weather condi-
tons of Northern California" for, as
already stated, they are quite as numerous
far south of the Sacramento and San Joa-
quin valleys.
The correspondent referred to is doubt
less some gentleman who has not been
long in this section, for be also states that
the robins usually winter farther morrill,
and seems to think that their presence in
OF the usual order of things In
this be is mistaken. The robin
really "winters" in the Sierra Nevada,
and can be found in large numbers at the
beginning of winter even in the higher al
titudes. Its range extends the entire length
OF the State These birds work their way
down the mountains during the winter,
keeping just ahead of the snow-line. Very
often stragglers reach the valleys late in
January, and by February the main body
OF the birds are out of the mountains and
can be found anywhere from the altitude
of 1000 feet down into the valleys, and all
the way from Siskiyou on the north to San
Diego on the south. And they do not come
down to winter" here, either They come
with the opening of the California spring
when the apricot and almond and peach
trees begin to put out their blossoms. Up
to February they stay in the mountains
The robins have acted this season Just as
they have for forty years past; and if the
Auburn correspondent should remain
among the charming foothills of Placer
county for the next forty years, he will find
the robins and fruit blossoms appearing
and about the same date.