Subject: [Tweeters] Slaty-colored Juncos
Date: Nov 28 10:52:33 2008
From: sgmlod at aol.com - sgmlod at aol.com



Greetings All

I thought the word "slaty" might attract some attention :o)

I have tried to keep track of SC Juncos since moving here, and I have seen some apparent year-to-year fluctuation, but no overall decline. Indeed, I think it was 3-4 years ago when they seemed absurdly numerous: during that year I had 10 SCJUs plus 5 or so cismontanus (the hybrid swarm, or whatever, from BC) in one day in Grant and Franklin Counties. That same winter, as I recall, Charlie Wright had 5 (or more)?SC Juncos together at some place.

I saw a few this fall, plus a couple cismontanus, but none in several large junco flocks scoured during the last few weeks. So, not sure how "good" this particular winter is.

By the way, when I did a paper on SCJU in the Puget Trough (in WA Birds two issues back, I believe) there seemed to be more SCJU around in late fall through December than later in winter or in spring.

Cheers
Steve Mlodinow