Dennis Paulson wrote

>To me, we've stayed in the Stone Age with regard to our knowledge of the
>distribution of some Washington breeding birds. Wilson's and
>Orange-crowned Warblers have often been thought of as being widespread
>breeders east of the Cascades crest, but in fact, they're not! I think
>they are both very local, unlike their status west of the crest, and it
>would be interesting to try to put together a good account of their
>distribution and habitat preference. I haven't checked the web for range
>maps for either one; maybe there are answers there.
>

Just checked Mike Smith's map for Orange-crowned Warbler--rather
surprising. They are pretty much absent from the east slope of the
Cascades!

So often we bias our knowledge with experience from other locations. Many
of us grew up in California where we might expect to find Orange-crowned
Warblers in habitat similar to the dry east slope forests. However, when we
examine it much more closely we realize that there are major differences
between the east slope forests and those of the Sierras. The understory for
one is completely different.

"Assume makes an ass out of you and me."

--Jerry Tangren
<tangren at wsu.edu>