Yesterday, a staff person at the Rhododendron species Botanical Garden in
Federal Way, (at the Weyerhauser headquarters) asked me what was the
bird they saw there that looked like a red breasted nuthatch, but was white.
I said white breasted nuthatch, but that it was "rare' down here on the west
side, in relatively urban areas.
this is a 22 acre garden, with surrounding conifers, but there has been a
trememdous amount of development thisyear. they have cut down most of
the surrounding forest to build new office parks.
After checking Birds in Washington book, where it is listed as unusual in
parks and gardens, I am hoping fellow tweetsters will refresh my memory
about the status of white breated nuthatch in the lowlands of Western
Washington. Are they "unusual" or "rare" or something else? Is this
unusual enough that I would put it on the hotline for out of town birders, for
instance?
Clarice Clark
Puyallup, WA. 98371
mailto:jbroadus at seanet.com