Subject: Re: Green Lake Brown Creepers
Date: Jan 23 15:42:24 1997
From: steppie at wolfenet.com - steppie at wolfenet.com


Along the lower east slopes of the Cascades and adjacent valleys, from
southern British Columbia south through Washington, creepers have left the
mountains or descended from the northcountry in a big way this winter.
Throughout this large region there are creepers in gardens, parks,
backyards, etc. in much greater numbers than usually found. Due to its
retiring personality and lisping calls, not many are actually seen, but I
believe enough birders have commented on the "Creeper Invasion of 1996" to
state its a regionwide happening.


I wonder what would cause this species to invade our region. Is this same
phenomenon occurring in western Washington?

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato, WA


>Bob Mauritsen, fellow tweetsters,
>
>Yesterday I reported Brown Creepers on my weekly Green Lake (Seattle) count.
>Bob asked where they were seen.
>
>For the past few weeks three to five Brown Creepers (family group?) have been
>quite reliable north of the Aqua Theater (that concrete grandstand at the
>southern corner of Green Lake).
>>From the Aqua Theater, walks north along the fenced-in area. Continue north
>past the parking lot (or if you park there, head north). The gravel path will
>carry you in between fence and a line of (I believe) Black Walnut trees. The
>Brown Creepers hang out on the Black Walnut (outside the fence), the various
>trees just inside the fence or across the street (west) on the Lower Woodland
>Park hillside, in the trees behind the patches of blackberries.
>You may have to go as far north as the sign that asks pedestrians to turn
>around (instead of walking on Highway 99; believe it or not some people are
>so desperate to jog, they'll risk their lives out there...).
>
>They have been reliable in the morning hours (usually I'm there before 11 AM).
>Listen for a mixed feeding flock with Junco's, kinglets, chickadees. But
>sometimes the creepers are by themselves.
>
>Good luck,
>Martin Muller, Seattle
>martinmuller at msn.com
>
>