Hello All,
I have been racking my brain as to where this junco could have come from to
reach western Washington.
The nearest breeding population I am aware of is in far southeastern Oregon
in The Trout Creek and Oregon Canyon Mountains along the Nevada-Oregon line.
MerryLynn and I first located five breeding pair in the Oregon Canyon
Mountains, Malheur County, Oregon June 1999 and later in June 2000 they were
located by Steve Dowlan in the Trout Creek Mountains, Harney County, Oregon.
This junco was found at or above 7000' with both discoveries. These sites
are both within the Great Basin. I also know of one record near Redmond,
Deschutes Co., Oregon on a CBC by Tom Crabtree. I am really amazed that this
individual made it all the way north to the Puget Trough. Proving once again
that birds can show up anywhere despite what we think we know.
Later Mike

********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
*******************************************************************