Maybe the recent severe weather on the coasts (even the inner Puget Sound)
has motivated them to migrant to the "calmer" inland (or the foothills of
the Cascades as the case may be.) Time to consult Bent's Life Histories
to see if anything is documented about local movement of this species.
I'll report anything pertinent to this mystery.

Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu Univ of WA and Des Moines, WA
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On Mon, 7 Apr 1997, Debbie wrote:

> Maureen Ellis wrote:
> >
> > I have noticed a curious disappearance of Spotted towhees at Des Moines
> > Beach Park and surrounding neighborhoods for the past few weeks.
>
> hmmm... I've seeing an abundance of Towhees around North Bend lately.
> Often I just hear them making their (what sounds like to me) cat-like
> call. But I've been seeing them sitting on shrubs practically face to
> face with me as I walk by.
>