Bird Observations by Florence Anne (Sumner) Henderson from 1928–1937 in Elk Grove and Lodi, Central Valley, California

Abstract

I report on historical bird observations of Florence A. (Sumner) Henderson from Elk Grove and Lodi, California over 1928–1937. This is among the earliest known accounts of birds from this region of the Central Valley. As a teacher at Elk Grove High School, Florence Henderson established a bird banding station and used birding and banding to teach and document bird life with her students. She documented 85 bird species in Elk Grove from 1930–1937, and 47 species in Lodi from 1928–1929. Born as Florence A. Sumner, she was daughter to noted biologist Francis B. Sumner and niece to field ornithologist E.L. Sumner, Senior.