The San Juans tend to lack Vine Maple (not enough rain) though some Douglas
Maple are present which may somewhat explain lack of BCCH. The islands also
lack numbers of Evening Grosbeaks due to lack of Vine Maple. As noted in
earlier posts, species like Steller's Jay are numerous on Orcas as are
squirrels & chimpmunks even though Rosario Channel is quite wide. One idea
is that a high point on Lummi allows gliding from high to low on Orcas for
easier passage especially during easterly winds. Getting to SJ is much
harder so Steller's Jays and BCCH are rarely seen. San Juan Island has seen
a number of flying squirrels in the last ten years but they may have been
introduced. Elk bones are found in the shell midens but not wolf,coyote
bones or cat bones though I have asked Julie Stein (UW) if they have looked
for them and she said they have not (they find mostly fish, deer and some
human bones). Extensive logging for cord word for the lime kilns and farming
quickly changed the forest types in the islands in the last 150 years.
Yellow Island is one of the few exceptions and Fox Sparrows can be found
breeding there and on Patos, Barnes and Clark and maybe Lopez.





Barbara Jensen, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

skylark at rockisland.com