It has been interesting to hear the several reports from Dennis,Phil and others, regarding the recent occurrence of Western Tanagers in the last 3 or 4 days. On Friday I visited the 500 Area in Discovery Park, which is the section including and north of the south parking lot. In my many years there I have never heard such a "wall" of song. Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks and Warbling Vireos sang from every direction, in their dozens it seemed. With Juncos and other sparrow and warbler species thrown in it was an unforgettable sound. One must believe that most of these birds were part of a migratory fallout. And yet in recent years my opinion is that these species of tanagers and grosbeaks have become more common in the park perhaps because of the seral stage of mixed forest now growing.

One tanager seen was a female singing vigorously -circumstantial migrant or breeder on June 4? On June 2 Scott Atkinson saw and heard a Cassin's Vireo here. The park already had a small wave of this species in early May. In most Junes, Cassin's is an uncommon breeding species. Also in early May was a wave of about a dozen Purple Finches, singing the warbling song, but in a slightly abbreviated version. Each bird found visually proved to be in immature/female plumage. I guess all I am saying is that sometimes birdsong is hard to interpret and that one needs several pieces of evidence before breeding can be assumed






--
David Hutchinson, Owner
Flora & Fauna: Nature Books
Discovery Gardens: Native Plants
3212 W.Government Way
Seattle,WA.98199
http://www.ffbooks.net/
206-623-4727



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