- Susan Johnston:
>What *is* the flashiest bird in Western Washington/Oregon/BC? I think my
>nomination is the Western Tanager. Any others?

Well, it's hard to beat a male Bullock's oriole. Another bird that
is a personal favorite for intense coloration is the yellow-breasted
chat. On my Malheur Elderhostels I've got a "chat place" that often
has orioles and lazuli bunting nesting there, too. One year I managed
a scope-filling male chat, bunting and oriole combination which every
member of the group got to see in one stunning view. (trip leading
warps the mind). This experience was only slightly marred by the
lack of a Questar or Kowa fluorite scope - there are some events
for which any piece of glass will serve.

Male tanager are, however, very nice and some males are absolutely
stunning.

Actually, re-reading the above I'm of course cheating by introducing
Malheur, which is eastern Oregon. Orioles, though, do nest in
western Oregon. Lazuli bunting used to nest within the Portland
city limits, but are no longer common in western Oregon (when did
I last see one this side of the mountains?...hmmmm...). And chat
are found normally no further west than the Descutes as far as
I know, so I guess don't count.

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>