>On Fri, 21 Jun 1996, Jerry Tangren wrote:
>> I agree with you as to Okanogan Co. Mike's maps illustrate that also. They
>
>Again, a word of warning. There is one confirmed east Cascades
>Orange-crowned Warbler nest in the BBA. Several 'possible' or 'probable'
>records. But on Dennis' advice, I considered them migrants. Not that I'm
>saying he's wrong or right (I'll let all of you with more experience over
>there figure that out!). But you see the circular argument of using my
>map to support Dennis' argument when my map is based on his argument. Andy
>S. later stated his belief contradicting this viewpoint. So I will have
>to check the dates on all the east Cascades records (boy just what I
>needed - something else to do) and determine whether they are migrants or
>there during the breeding season. Perhaps a conservative June 20 cutoff
>would be useful. Any opinions on using this arbitrary data cutoff? I
>realize any date chosen will be arbitrary, but this seems like a
>reasonable cutoff. Of course this will only apply to singing birds and
>pairs. Other probable evidence levels will be accepted 'as-is' (agitated
>behavior, nest-building, copulation, etc.). I will of course notify tweets
>of the findings, but it'll take a few days (have to look up all the OC
>Warbler cards to do this).
>
>-------------
>Michael R. Smith

If I can add another two cents to this, on top of my two (or four?) already
granted, I think you'd be pretty safe using a 1 June cutoff. Birds I
considered migrants really tailed off rapidly after 20 May, with only a few
Kittitas Co. birds thereafter, during some pretty hot late migrations. I
think migration of our common birds is usually over by the end of May, and
all those June records this year were rather unusual. For the
recordkeepers, I'll add singing Wilson's Warbler and Lazuli Bunting at
Frenchman Springs, Grant Co., where neither of them breed to my knowledge,
on 1 June.

But cutoff date or not, I'd probably closely scrutinize those June records
in the areas under discussion. Habitat?

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416