Hi Tweets,

Stuart MacKay writes:

>Up at Everett, Fir Island and Sammish Flats yesterday (Kris baker,
>myself, Chris McInerny and Liz Stockwell) saw the following:
>
>1 common yellowthroat
>1 white-throated sparrow
>1 mourning dove
>2 American kestrels
>1 budgeriegar

While it's a titch late for the yellowthroat, both White-throated Sparrows
and kestrels are wintering species as well as migrant while Mourning Dove is
a permanent resident at these latitudes, though they often get together into
flocks. I don't think there's enough data yet to generalise the late
Autumn-early winter patterns of Budgerigar yet.

>Obviously the recent strong warning trend combined with strong southerly
>winds has resulted in a number of birds delaying their migration south
>as well and the increasinmg occurence of more southerly species - though
>it seems clear to me that the movement of budgerigars into the area is
>quite unpreceedented.
>
>Also of interest, there was a report of a yellow budgeriegar down in
>California recently. With the prevailing S/SW winds here with the recent
>warm temperatures is it possible that the bird seen at Edison yesterday
>was the same bird reported down south ?

Stuart, was it the one who could sing the entire bass line in 'Dark Side of
the Moon' or the one whose vocabulary was limited to 'I'm a pretty boy, I'm
a pretty boy'?? '-)

Hey, Deb B, wanna do a statistical analysis of the relationship between warm
weather, open windows and extralimital Budgerigar incursions? '-)

Michael Price We aren't flying...we're falling with style!
Vancouver BC Canada -Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story
mprice at mindlink.net