Page:Condor10(6).djvu/10

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220 THE CONDOR Vo?. X The following morning, our host insisting, we decided to remain another day. By opening the gates of the dam Eweld produced a waterfall a quarter of a mile below, which gladdened the heart of that camera fiend, Heinemann, who I think took it from six positions all looking very pleasant as it fell over the water-worn precipices among the moss and ferns. Ewald on joining us led the way along the flume which brings the water from the other dam at the head of Big Creek. Here, among those great trees, the redwood and spruce, is a region of wonderful beauty. Silent and still the great green forest walls the view in every direction, while half hidden by fallen logs, great boulders and the overhanging smaller trees and shrubs in all their bright greenery, run the ever singing brooks. It was near the head of that pellucid stream, Big Creek, that I found a nest of considerable rarity. I noticed a Western Winter Wren disappear beneath a huge fallen redwood which lay across the stream and on examination found what was CABINS AT BOVI?A CR?;I?K DAM, SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS rather unusual, three nests! Two were of previous seasons, one holding an infertile egg. 'the third nest was but newly built. All were made of twigs, leaves and lined with moss and feathers, and placed among the bark-folds of the redwood which were particularly deep on this tree. If the nest was hard to find it was still more difficult to photograph, situated as it was, directly over and not far above the water. But Oluf's determined spirit rises when he finds a rebellious subject and after some considerable maneuvering the telling of which would reveal several state secrets, he snapped the bulb with the result shown herewith. ?'he trail, for this is almost a roadless country, took us away from the Big Creek Dam and up the steep mountain sides towards the coast. After reaching the top of the ridge we came to Gregory Heights where we found a large open clearing with grain fields and orchards and tenanted by many birds of the lower zones. For here, while the Black-headed Grosbeaks (Zamelodia melanocep]tala capilalis)