Lydia, tweets,

> Martin Muller provided a list of species seen at GreenLake and his corvid
> list caught my eye. How often are magpies seen on this side of the
> mountains?

To quote Gene Hunn in his 1982 "Birding in Seattle and King County:"
"Magpies may turn up almost anytime in the non-breeding season. They are
presumably strays from east of the Cascades, but might also be northern
birds, as the magpie breeds to tidewater in the Anchorage, Alaska area."
Green Lake has only two instances reported.

>And since I'm asking about corvids, how often do the eastern
>blue jays make it to Seattle?

Again Gene Hunn recorded four instances, up until 1982. I don't have better
recent data. I think it's safe to say "not often."

>Does anybody have photos of the hybrid Stellars & Blue Jay or Stellars &
>Scrub Jays?

Visit the Washington Ornithological Society website for a story and
full-color photographs by the incomparable Ruth Sullivan on a hybrid Scrub X
Steller's.

>Corvids are such interesting birds!

Agreed.

Martin Muller, Seattle
MartinMuller at email.msn.com