ROADRUNNERS and Condors

218948^Produced and exhibited under Auspices of State of West Virginia Conservation Commission. "Roadrunners" Photgraphed by: I.H. Johnston, NAturalist and author. "These grotesque birds are found only in the Southwest. No habitat suits them as well as desert country where they eat rattlesnakes, lizards, centipedes, spiders and other delicacies of thier choice." "This roadrunners' nest was found in a date palm. Ben L. Clarey near his Coral Reef Ranch, Coachell Valley, Ca." Semi C/U shot of nest with three eggs in it in the date palm. "Three weeks later the mother is feeding her young and watching for food and enemies" Many shots of the mother Roadrunner at the nest on the look out. Always moving even if only slightly. "A diamond-back rattler seeking food comes fearlessly onward." Shots of snake slithering on ground towards cameraman. "Seen by the sharp eyes of the roadrunner in the date palm." Roadrunner in the palm, twitching head. "The rattler senses danger and coils ready for business." Snake coiled and semi coiled. "Seeing his deadly enemy watching him, he cautiously tries to steal away." Snake slowly trying to make get away before being spotted. "Too late! The roadrunner glides down, runs, and engages him in deadly conflict. Observe quick actions of bird. Its long tail acts as brake and rudder." Roadrunner attacking the snake. "Unfortunately the Birdman's film ran out just as the rattler was killed and did not get the scene of roadrunner swallowing rattlesnake head. Foremost. Mr. Clarey winessed the engulfing." Roadrunner back in the date palm preening. "After reassuring herself that the children were safe, she watches to see if the rattler's mate will follow." Two birds on the ground. "After young leave the nest the Birdman tries to catch them at the same time take the picture." Roadrunner on the ground running around. "It is as hard work as riding a bronco." More shots of bird on the ground running around. "Eventually he captures two to photograph." Roadrunner running towards a garden. "Snapper and Growler." Two young Roadrunners together, one flutters off. "Some natives are not afraid to capture these diamond-backed rattlers and hold them by head and tail in their fingers--dangerous business." Man holding snake, moves snake slightly towards camera. "Yellow-billed Magpie, a non-migrating species found only in a restricted area in California. Probably doomed to extinction on account of prejudice." Two birds on a fence post. Birds on roof, one flies off. "Nests are remodeled each year and become enlarged. Sometimes doubled." Shot of very large nest in a tree. "Arizona hooded Oriole's nest made of palm fiber woven to underside of palm leaf." Shot of the underside of a plam leaf shows a little ball like nest. "Los Angeles gammons of the streets making mud pies." Birds landing in the street, pick something up and fly off. "Actually, they are cliff swallows gathering mud pellets to build their earthen bottle-shaped nests." Same shots as above. "Nighthawks build no nest. This one laid her eggs on a gravel roof on a Charleston W. Va. school building." Mother bird with a little baby. Nighthawk female with two young chicks. "Here she reared her young. See how she plays crippled to attract attention to give her young a chance to hide." Bird has both wings outstretched like it is hurt. "Young Whippoorwills in boys' hands." Two young boys holding baby birds. "Sitting on a stump, he resembles a downy yellow bullfrog." Very young bird just sitting on stump. "Interesting antics of white-breasted nuthatch gathering suet from pole and string." Bird on top of birdhouse chimmney pecking at food hanging from string on pole. Jumps onto pole and grabs food to keep with it. "Kilder, a well known Plover found in most of the United States." Shots of the bird on the ground. "Watch it playing cripple to make you try to catch it; in the meantime the young hide." Again, bird frantically flapping wings like it's injured to take attention away from escaping young. "If you are patient as the Birdman you will see the baby near top of picture run and crawl under it's mother." Baby runs across top of screen (right to left) to mother. "This California Condor's picture was taken at Sespie Rancho, Cal. shortly after it was captured with broken wing which had been amputated." Beautiful shot of Condor just standing in pen. "There are probably not more than a dozen of these Condors living today." Beautiful shots of Condor in pen standing, takes a few steps. "Note white on wing, a positive identification." Condor atop pen, flaps wing trying to fly.