Subject: Western Scrub Jay in Asotin Co.
Date: Mar 25 07:11:57 2002
From: Ruth Sullivan - GODWIT at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

The WESTERN SCRUB JAY that has been previously present east of Cheif Timothy
S.P. along Hwy 12 at MP 427.5(just east of Silcott Hills Rd.) in Asotin Co.
is of the interior subspecies due to the combination of physical and
behavioral features and NOT of the coastal subspecies,which is presumably
far less likely at this inland location. The bird is much paler,duller and
grayer overall,with less consistant and distinctive blue coloration as noted
in the coastal subspecies. The upperparts of this bird of this bird appear
paler and almost blend in showing only a very faint breast band,showing
little contrast and not as sharply defined than in the coastal subspecies
that occur commonly as far east in WA as Klickitat Co. The bill appears to
be slightly smaller,shorter,and thicker and the overall size of the bird
seems slightly slimmer and smaller overall. The behavior of the bird as
indicated in the interior subspecies is much shyer and more elusive than the
conspicuous coastal subspecies, as noted also by our observations although
the bird did cooperate slightly more after being detected as well as called
several times during both observations,but still remained distant and
somewhat wary on the 23rd and 24th of March,and heard by several other
observers previously. The bird did however attend to thick cover at times
and would occasionally be undetectable and silent,proving the characteristic
of this subspecies. We managed to take a few photographs on the 23rd for
further documentation with at least one to be of best quality due to the
elusiveness of the bird,at times.

Sincerely,

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net