I too found this sighting of interest. I wouldn't be surprised if
migrating/wintering Palm Warblers are more common in coastal scrub habitats
than records indicate. There are always a few in select, well-known spots
at Ocean Shores, for instance, "coincidentally" near good shorebirding
spots. How many square miles of beach scrub are out there, rarely birded?

Eric Kraig
Olympia, WA
kraig at wln.com

At 02:47 PM 10/14/98 -0700, Christopher Hill wrote:
>On Wed, 14 Oct 1998, ian paulsen wrote:
>
>> Hi Chris:
>> On your Tatoosh Island trip list you list 3 Palm Warblers. Are you aware
>> that Palm Warblers are rare in this state. How many did you see in total?
>> What kind of habitat were they in? In other places in WA they seem to
>> prefer Scot's Broom. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Sincerely
>> Ian Paulsen
>> Bainbridge Is., WA
>> ipaulsen at linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us
>> "Rallidae all the way"
>
>Thanks for the feedback, Ian. I was not aware that Palm Warblers were
>rare in the state. These were certainly Palm Warblers, though, feeding in
>the grass, wagging their tails incessantly, and with prominent yellow
>undertail coverts. There were a couple Yellow-rumps in the same area,
>feeding along the edge of the bushes nearby.
>
>The PAWAs were foraging in an open grassy area by the lighthouse,
>bordering a dense area of salmonberry (most of the island is covered by
>dense salmonberry, except the parts that are kept grassy by mowing). I
>don't think Scotch Broom is established there.
>
>Total was three birds, on one day, 10/21. I can't remember if I saw them
>again on the following day or not.
>
>Christopher E. Hill
>Department of Zoology
>University of Washington
>P. O. Box 351800
>Seattle, WA 98195-1800
>
>
>
>