I was looking through field notes and last year was a very good CBC year for
Anna's. Seattle had 54, Tacoma had 14, E. Lk. WA-2, Edmonds-CW,
Kent-Auburn-2, Grays Harbor-1, Oak Harbor-1, Olympia-CW, Port Townsend-CW,
Sequim-Dungeness-1, Wenatchee-1.
I may have missed it in the initial post of the RUHU but what sex(s) are the
RUHU that are in Federal Way? Very careful notes should be taken on such a
bird in the winter time and photos if possible.
I always wonder if observers are aware of the significance of such sightings
when common summer birds show up in the winter time. Luckily this time it
appears they are. Still one has to wonder how many times a wintering Tanager,
Oriole, or a lingering warbler is not called to the proper authorities
because the observer does not know that they should be hundreds or thousands
of miles to the south.
Pardon my preachy attitude but thats why even the beginning birder needs to
learn about habitat associations and the bird's annual cycle at the same time
on learns to identify it.

Scott Downes
sgd24 at aol.com
Seattle WA

To identify a species should not be enough to quench one's thirst, a proper
thirst must seek to understand every facet of the bird's existence.