Some Birds of AnaCapa Island
Reprinted from The Condor
Volume 10, page 130, May 1908

Joseph Grinnell is absolutely incredible as a vetebrate biologist, ornithologist, and naturalist. This brief article reprinted here is just the tip of the iceberg. My research has shown that Joseph Grinnell spent a considerable time at sea. He did studies at Catalina Island in 1899, where he went on a small rowboat along the island shore in pursuit of birds. He went on a longer voyage to explore San Clemente Island, Santa Barbara Island, and San Nicolas Island. He visited two other Channel Islands, Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island. It appears that there were only two Channel Islands that he did not visit: San Miguel and Santa Rosa Island. Further research may show that he visited those islands as well. I estimate that he spent about 30 days at sea on boats during his puruit of biological studies on birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The quote from his article on Goonies of the Desert talks about the sea: "Those of us who have undertaken voyages across the the ocean will readily recall the almost constant presence of goonies, or albatrosses, which fly along in the wake of the boat closely scrutinizing the sea surface for any sort of refuse that may serve them as food."

"Some Birds of Ana Capa. -- "On the 4th of September, 1903, I was landed from a yacht onto Ana Capa Island, which lies east of Santa Cruz Island, California, and separated from it by about five miles of open ocean. Ana Capa is rapidly decreasing in size and one can easily foresee its complete dissolution at no very distant time. The action of the waves has already cut thru it at several points. My stay on the Island was limited to less than an hour; but besides that I was permitted to coast along nearly the whole length of the island in a small boat. There is but scanty vegetation on this Island. I saw a few insects, signs of mice (Peromyscus), and one species of lizard (Uta)."

"Besides the usual seabirds of the region I saw the following: One Bald Eagle(Haliaetus leucocephalus) flying; one pair of Mexican Ravens (Corvus corax sinuatus); several Rock Wrens (Salpinctes obsoletus), these being noted on the highest declivities of the Island; several spotted Sandpipers (Actitis mcularia) along the surf; several Wandering Tattler (Heteractitis incanus) on partly suberged rocks; one flock of five or six Black Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala);; one pair, with three two-thirds grown young, of the Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) on a point of rocks jutting into the surf; and one Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)flying along the surf." -- J. Grinnell, Pasadena, California.