Subject: [Tweeters] Bellevue Journal Snowy Owl article
Date: Dec 22 09:10:45 2005
From: jbroadus at seanet.com - jbroadus at seanet.com


Our birding word of the day is irruption, not eruption. An
irruption, from the Latin -rupt (burst, break), is defined as a
sudden violent entrance or a bursting in. It may also reference
a sudden and violent inroad, or entrance of invaders. Now, we
avian enthusiasts do not equate birds with barbarians. An
irruption is used to describe a large incursion of birds of a
single species into an area outside of their normal range.
Although exciting to observers, these movements are usually
driven by unstable weather conditions or lack of food, so be
nice to the tourists. Note that the occasional stray visitor is not
called an irrupter, but a vagrant.

Thanks to:
http://www.10000birds.com/january2005.htm
.Clarice Clark
Puyallup, WA. 98371
mailto:jbroadus at seanet.com