Subject: Arctic freeze
Date: Feb 14 07:16:50 1996
From: steppie at wolfenet.com - steppie at wolfenet.com


The severe arctic blast (-15 to -18F on 5 successive days) from about 28
January through 3-4 Feb in eastern Washington was evidently "crunch" time
for several passerines. I have not been able to detect any Ruby-crowned
Kinglets or Yellow-rumped Warblers since before the freeze.Both Ruby-crowns
and Yellow-rumps depend on mature fruit trees and Russian olives here in
winter in E WA. However, severe arctic blasts seem lethal to these species.
I suspect both did not regularly winter in e. WA prior to Europeans who
brought irrigation and hence modified extensively the landscape in e. WA.
This holds also for Red-tailed Hawk and White-crowned Sparrows.

I would be very interested in any observations of either Ruby-crowns or
Yellow-rumps in e. WA since 4 Feb. - date and place of observation.

What about Bewick's Wrens in the Tri-Cities area. Did they pull through?

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA