Tweets, I wrote the babble below which includes observations on Lark
Sparrows. Why I specifically mentioned Lark and Sage Sparrows being absent
from wet areas last week was that especially the absence of Lark Sparrows
seemed strange, as I too, have come to associate Lark Sparrows with riparian
areas in the post-fledging period. It is clearly evident from the postings
on this that other Washington observers have drawn this association too.

Andy

>Fellow Tweeters,
>
>Saturday 20 July 2 Red Crossbills - possibly immatures - flew into black
>cottonwoods along upper Hanson Creek on the Yakima Training Center 45 km
>east of suitable habitat along the east slopes of the Cascades. My only
>other records away from the mountains in summer include several on 5 and 6
>July and again 3 and 4 August 1987 in Wapato. Is there a documented usual
>post-fledging movement of Red Crossbills or is this a sign of a poor Cascade
>seed crop? Red Crossbills are most likely over the lowlands in November and
>early December in Yakima County, so these July and August records are
>interesting.
>
>Also, 2 Western Tanagers were in the same trees, Warbling Vireos and
>Orange-crowned Warblers are in the lowlands and, of course, the July
>movement of Rufous Hummingbirds, though it seems delayed this year. Things
>are happening!
>
>Noteworthy in the shrub-steppe zone was a chance find of a spring near the
>height of land between Squaw and Hanson Creeks with a "weedy" zone below it
>(several hectares) which was teeming with sparrows and larks, mostly
>juveniles. Brewer's (90) and Vesper Sparrows (80+) plus Horned Larks (35+)
>made up this contingent, clearly attracted to this wet zone. Several
>censuses of typical breeding habitats for the above-mentioned species 20
>July showed a low density of all passerines as compared to six weeks ago. As
>on the Hanford Site, there appears to be a post-breeding movement from most
>of the shrub-steppe zone for a number of passerines to local zones where
>feeding opportunities might be more favorable. Typically, these are ravines
>or borders of wet areas such as springs. Western Meadowlarks are in this
>category too, as are Loggerhead Shrikes.
>
>No Sage or Lartk Sparrows were noted at this wet area; these species were
>still in their usual breeding habitats which are the lower, drier
>communities of the shrub-steppe zone.
>
>Andy Stepniewski
>Wapato WA
>
>