Richard,

I have run into Hutton's Vireos less frequently than I expect this winter so
far, which may or may not mean anything. When they are quiet they are very
unobtrusive. Still I'm not surprised when I encounter the occasional
Hutton's in one or another chickadee/kinglet flock. So it's hard to know if
any or some substantial portion of the local population moves south. They
are not particularly local, in my experience, being likely to turn up most
anywhere in the west side lowlands, but perhaps favoring mixed woodland,
especially with madrone, but certainly not restricted to such woods. I have
seen it just once on the east slope of the Cascades, near Wenas Creek, a
singing bird in spring that I tape recorded.

Gene Hunn, Seattle, hunnhome at accessone.com



At 01:17 PM 1/10/98 EST, you [PAGODROMA at aol.com] wrote:

>I took a short mid-day exploratory stroll on Friday (09Jan) in an area 'new'
>to me up on the Sammamish Plateau, just up the slope from the Hal Jensen Youth
>Camping area, Lake Sammamish State Park, near Issaquah. There amongst a
>roving flock of chickadees, bushtits, kinglets, and a couple of Brown
>Creepers, I observed a most accommodating Hutton's Vireo.
>
>
>What exactly is the winter status of Hutton's Vireo around here, especially in
>the eastern urban Seattle area?