Charlie Wright, 13 writes:
" Has anyone else noticed more Townsend's Warblers this year, or might this
be just a local influx? Good birding to you all."

Charlie -

I think that it's really likely that it's a matter of local movements,
although I've also seen more Townsend's in my suburban west Olympia yard
(100-foot elevation) this year than seems usual. In fact, on 29th December,
I banded (3510-09991) the only TOWA that I've mist-netted in the yard in the
past 12 years. It was a hatch-year female that was a bit on the thin side
(low-to-moderate amount of body fat, and weighing only 10.0g). The next
day, I saw a male TOWA in the same area... usually, I only see a few each
year passing through the tops of the fir trees.

I have seen occasions where the Townsend's will 'flock' into groups of 10-20
birds, but not too often. I'd never been able to associate that flocking
with any specific weather conditions, etc.

Good observations!

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net