>Hello tweeters
> Regarding Myrtle Warblers, it has been my understanding that a key
>factor in allowing them to winter over along the coasts of western
>Washington has been the predominance of Pacific Wax Myrtle. This plant
>is pretty easy to grow; a friend and I are both experimenting with
>planting it in our backyards to see if/how birds use it in the winter.
>We will keep you posted.
>
>Janet Partlow
>partlowj at elwha.evergreen.edu
>
>On Fri, 26 Apr 1996, Eugene Hunn wrote:
>
>> The coastal scrub (as at Ocean Shores) is in fact dominated by the Pacific
>> wax myrtle (Myrica sp.), hence the name "Myrtle" Warbler is quite
>> appropriate. However, the northern limit of the wax myrtle on the Pacific
>> is somewhere no too far north of Ocean City, WA I believe.
>>
>> Gene.
>>
>> On Fri, 26 Apr 1996, Jerry Tangren wrote:
>>
>> > ...
>> >
>> > >Since I keep track of the two subspecies in my notes, I have also
discovered
>> > >that only the 'myrtle' race appears to overwinter (I suspect it travels
>> > >farther north and East(within the province) than the 'audubon' as
well) and
>> > >that the two do not appear in a 50-50 ratio. The Audubon's appeared first
>> > >this spring (March 10) and outnumbered the Myrtle until mid-April.
Then the
>> > >myrtle race largely outnumbered the audubons. Recently, they appear to be
>> > >50-50. This may be locally significant or a mere artifact but
nevertheless,
>> > >I do believe it is worth keeping track.
>> > >
>> >
>> > > Don Cecile
>> > > Port Alberni, BC, CANADA V9Y 6Z5
>> > > eMAIL: dcecile at cln.etc.bc.ca
>> > >
>> >
>> > I'm not sure where Port Alberni is located, but the ratio of Audubon's to
>> > Myrtle is not constant but can vary considerably with habitat. Coastal
>> > scrub in some places can be dominated by Myrtle while only a few miles
>> > inland, the habitat is dominated by Audubon's.
>> >
>> > Here in Wenatchee, WA, on the dry side of the Cascades in orchard country,
>> > where butter-butts can be scarce in winter, Myrtle warblers are less common
>> > than Audubon's.
>> >
>> > Jerry Tangren
>> > <tangren at wsu.edu>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>


In the Yakima area, audubonii winters mainly from Union Gap south, sometimes
in fair numbers. Mature orchards and introduced Russian olives form the core
of their wintering range here. Probably they were very rare to absent prior
to irrigation east of the Cascades in winter. Myrtle types are usually noted
by those familiar with the difference in call notes. Less than 3% or so is
typical for myrtle types here in winter though. Only from 21 April through
end of April can Myrtles be readily located here in spring.
Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA