Jack,

I was not along lower Crab Creek to view these Yellow-rumps, but would
wager the majority were Audubon's. Audubon's are the common wintering type
Yellow-rump in the southern Columbia Basin of WA and northern OR, attracted
to introduced Russian olives and mature apple and pear orchards (where
there are gleaning opportunities in the crevices of old apple and pear tree
branches and trunks) and unpicked fruit.Myrtle types are much less common
in the interior. They are, of course, abundant on the outer coast in the
wax myrtle (Myrica californica) groves behind the dunes. This form of
Yellow-rump is especially attracted to the fruits of this tree. The tree
occurs mostly in a narrow band inland of the dune habitats from Puget Sound
to near Santa Monica, CA. In the interior of WA, Myrtles pass through in
modest numbers during the last days in April.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
----------
> From: Jack Bowling <jbowling at direct.ca>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: Fwd: WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS bonanza!!!
> Date: Thursday, January 22, 1998 2:08 AM
>
> ** Reply to note from Richard Rowlett
>
> <snip>
> > Other birds of note at this deserty 'eastside' location
> > included Hermit Thrush (1), Varied Thrush (1), Marsh Wren (1), Bewick's
Wren
> > (1 -- singing it's head off), Yellow-rumped Warbler (8 -- sprinkled all

> > through there), and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3). Also lots of sparrows
and 'good
> > sparrow' potential, but I saw nothing beyond White-crowned, Song, and
Juncos
> > (inc. 1 Slate-colored).
> <snip>
>
> Richard - Just a question for when you get a chance to read Tweeters
again:
> were those Yellow-rumps "Myrtles", and were they eating the berries of
the
> Russian Olives?
>
> - Jack
>
>
>
> ------------------
> Jack Bowling
> Prince George, BC
> jbowling at direct.ca