Jim, nice theory, but arguments countering it are as follows. The Marymoor
sighting was my first record for the month of March, so a migration pulse at
this time of year has not previously been noted. And second, the sapsuckers at
Lake Samm State Park were feeding at trees that have a large number of saplines
drilled on previous occasions. That says to me that the birds are resident
nearby.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland WA
== Hummer at isomedia.com
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim McCoy" <jfmccoy at earthlink.net>
To: "'Michael Hobbs'" <Hummer at isomedia.com>; "'Tweeters (E-mail)'"
<TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 2:37 AM
Subject: RE: Marymoor Park and Lake Samm State Park reports 3/20/2001


> I read with interest Michael's multiple sightings of red-breasted
> sapsuckers, and wonder whether this is mere coincidence or whether these
> birds are on the move just now. I know that on the east coast, yellow-
> bellied sapsuckers tend to adhere to a rather tight migration schedule,
> and if you don't get out in the field during a short stretch in the
> spring and a short stretch in the fall (about ten days, if I remember
> correctly), you run the risk of not seeing this species for the entire
> year if you don't have local breeders. Since red-breasted sapsuckers
> are year-round residents here, the effect is presumably less dramatic,
> but is there a correspondingly narrow and recognizable movement of this
> species?
>
> Jim McCoy
> jfmccoy at earthlink.net
> Redmond, WA
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Hobbs [mailto:Hummer at isomedia.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 6:05 PM
> To: Tweeters (E-mail)
> Subject: Marymoor Park and Lake Samm State Park reports 3/20/2001
>
>
> Hi Tweets
>
> I couldn't resist making a quick trip down to Marymoor in Redmond WA this
> morning after getting the kids off to school. It was actually fairly quiet,
> but there were several nice birds:
>
> Merlin ? Quick view of a mid-sized falcon mobbed
> by
> crows
> Virginia Rail Constant calling from far side of slough
> Pileated Woodpecker First March record for Marymoor
> Red-breasted Sapsucker Also a first March record
> Tree Swallow Many back
> Western Meadowlark 3 in east meadow
>
> Then this afternoon, I stopped at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah WA.
> I
> only had about 45 minutes, but saw:
>
> Red-breasted Sapsucker A pair
> Rufous Hummingbird Quick look at a male
> Violet-green Swallow At least 2
>
> In all, a nice day.
>
> == Michael Hobbs
> == Kirkland WA
> == Hummer at isomedia.com
> == http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm
>
>
>
>