Hey tweets, I don't suppose you got the announcement - I certainly
never did - but there was a Hutton's Vireo convention at Carkeek Park
yesterday. They were having a confab with a huge feeding flock of
Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers,
Townsend's Warblers, Chestnut-backed and Black-capped Chickadees, and
Bushtits. Altogether, I counted at least six Hutton's Vireos in the
flock, more than I've ever seen at one time before. The flock showed up
at the knoll overlooking the railroad pedestrian-overpass. It was one
of the biggest mixed flocks I've ever seen. There was so much activity
going on, I got dizzy whirling around with my binoculars clapped to my
eyes as I tried to spot every bird. Warning: never do this if you
suffer from motion sickness.

This is the first time I've ever been able to directly compare Hutton's
Vireo behavior with Ruby-crowned Kinglet behavior. The bird books all
say that a field mark for the vireo is that it is slow-moving and
deliberate. The Hutton's I've always seen in the past must have
subscribed to the brisk set, because they always seemed like they never
stayed still for more than a second or two. Deliberate is not the word
I would apply to them, not when I think of the speed that herons move,
for example. So I've often wondered what the heck the books were
talking about. However, when you can see Hutton's Vireos and
Ruby-crowned Kinglets side-by-side, there is a noticeable difference.
The kinglets really are faster.

A great day. - Connie Sidles, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com