Recently some Tweeters have reported winter flocks of Townsend's and other
warblers from Bellingham, Seattle, and north of Kirkland. As I sit in my
great office here on the 3rd floor, I look out on the upper levels of a
little grove of Douglas-firs and other trees that are regularly visited by
kinglets, chickadees (both black-cap and rufous-back), and juncos, but no
warblers, at least not in the winter. A few years ago, I saw one
Townsend's here (an easy lifer!), and in spring migration I've seen an
occasional Wilson's and Yellow-rumped, but nothing like the numbers of the
other birds. If this grove is so attractive to other winter birds, why no
warblers? Wrong habitat for very specialized birds? Do other people see
Townsend's in the Olympia area?

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 206-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 206-866-6794