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[[circled]] 86 [[/circled]] [[circled]] 124 [[/circled]]

Going along road to new area. By RR Tunnel. More than 1/2 way to Myst area. 11,075 ft. Arrive 8:10 am.

All very quiet.

Absolutely nothing, in fact. Just an occasional Whitestart or Firebelly audible in distance. An occasional thrush flying off.

See a single ^[[1 check mark above]] Firebelly 9:00 am. Joined by white ^[[1 check mark above]] bearded flycatcher. Flycatcher flys off. 1 [[underlined]] ^[[1 check mark above]] rufinucha [[/underlined]] j -> Firebelly

Leaving 9:11 am.

The observations made this morning were rather puzzling, in much the same way as some observations made on previous days in the Myst area. There was relatively little in the way of Dawn Chorus early this morning - and then relatively little in the way of mixed flocks later this morning. Throughout this area, at this time, there seems to be a positive correlation between reproductive behavior (s.e.) and inter specific gregariousness. Which is just what would [[underlined]] not [[/underlined]] be expected. Perhaps the explanation is as follows: A small amount of rain brings an appreciable number of birds into "reproductive mood". This stimulates song and other vocalizations. These, in turn, attract other birds to the vocalizing individuals. None of the birds here at present is far enough along in the reproductive cycle to have lost its inter-specific gregarious tendencies. Presumably the birds will lose their following and joining tendencies once they are further advanced in the breeding cycle. (The more advanced birds below Unduavi certainly have lost their inter-specific gregarious tendencies. This would be conclusive evidence - except for the fact that some of the most important species, "nuclear" species, i.e. some of the [[underlined]] Basileuterus [[/underlined]] species, appear to be absent below Unduavi.)