Subject: Pygmy Nuthatch
Date: Apr 25 07:23:50 1997
From: steppie at wolfenet.com - steppie at wolfenet.com


A Pygmy Nuthatch is calling excitedly from our ornamental ponderosa pine
grove as I write this. The bird is in the Parker Heights district north of
Wapato, in s-c Washington. During 19 years of watching birds here, this is
the first record I have of this species in Yakima County away from the east
slopes of the Cascades. Though suitable breeding habitat is only 20 miles
away, this species obviously strays from these forests only on very rare
occasions.

Is its occurrence here tied to the widespread dispersal, beginning in
August, 1996, from the nearby Cascades forests? Species observed away from
the mountains included Clark's Nutcrackers and White-breasted Nuthatches.
Some observers of birdlife in the ponderosa pine and Douglas fir zones have
commented on how quiet these forests have been this past winter.

Has there been a regionwide failure of the ponderosa pine seed crop?

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA