>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>
>
>
Re: Orange-crowned Warblers on the east slopes of the Cascades. I'm going to
go out on a limb here...and check the map for OCWA after I post this. I
consider the Orange-crowned Warbler a characteristic and common summer
resident of brushy openings on the east slopes of the Cascades, Okanogan
Highlands, and Selkirks. It is absent from most if not all of the Columbia
Basin.

I agree with Dennis' assessment of Wilson's Warbler. They are restricted in
their breeding range east of the Cascades, becoming more common in the far
NE corner (we have a dearth of data from the wettest Interior red cedar zone
and higher parts of the Interior western hemlock zone. There, Wilson's
Warblers are common in the proper communities. On the east slopes of the
Cascades, I suspect their core is the region north of Snoqualmie Pass where
alder and willow-choked avalanche chutes provide optimum habitat.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA