Over a century ago, Theodore S. Van Dyke wrote about outdoor life in California. In this post, I present examples of what he had to say about the California condor.
T. S. Van Dyke’s words
Pins
This post shows 8 lapel pins with images of the California condor.
Crossword clues
I am not a crossword puzzle person. But because I was struck by how often my newspaper searches for “condor” turned up crossword puzzles, I decided to have a closer look.
Regional field guides & checklists: 1964-2009
Thomas R. Dunlap’s excellent In the Field, among the Feathered: a History of Birders and Their Guides (Oxford University Press, 2011) describes how bird guides gradually improved over time. One important innovation was the development of place- or region-specific guides and checklists.
In this post, I note 7 such guides and checklists with an eye on the California condor.
Continue reading “Regional field guides & checklists: 1964-2009”
Naming periodicals after birds
Does it seem odd that the editors of a journal named Osprey would criticize ornithological publications for adopting the names of birds?
Museum accessions: 1855-1931
Before a museum can display a specimen of the California condor to the public, a specimen has to be acquired. These accessions to a museum’s collection may take the form of gifts or loans. Museums also purchase specimens from collectors and make trades for specimens with other museums.
In this post I note 7 reports of accessions of California condor specimens by museums. To provide context for these reports, I have included a few details that are not about the condor.
Hard boiled
In 1926, a new ornithological “journal” appeared. The Buzzard was published by the Cuckoo Ornithological Club of Los Angeles. I recently acquired the first 2 issues. Here’s a look.
