Good Morning

Okay, horrid joke, especially as it's 1:30 pm.

MODOs were pretty uncommon in Snohomish County when I first moved here. In summer I'd pretty much just see them around the Everett Sewage Treatment Ponds, and in winter, a few here and there in ag areas. Just a couple times per winter, usually just a few birds.

Over the last 15 years this has changed. I see them all year long in a wide variety of (usually) ag areas (though on Whidbey I've seen them in the semi-open coniferous woods near Partridge Point). In winter, it is not unusual to see large numbers (20-60) in the Stilly or Snohomish Valleys. I see at least a couple almost every day I go birding in open areas of Snoho and Skagit Counties and fairly frequently (small nos, like 1-2) on Whidbey Island.

So, they seem to be increasing rather dramatically. But this open land they prefer has been here (Puget Trough) for quite some time, and so I know not why. MODOs are not particularly effected by cold weather, unless it's prolonged, so I don't see our warming as a potential cause.

A winter or two ago, Charlie Wright, Ryan Shaw and I had 600+ in Cowlitz County in one Blueberry Field (it did seem like forever), and that appeared to be a w. Washington record by quite a bit. So, I suspect the increase may throughout w. WA.

Cheers
Steve Mlodinow
Everett WA
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