Subject: [Tweeters] Where are the Varied Thrushes?
Date: Jan 1 15:05:02 2017
From: Jane Hadley - hadleyj1725 at gmail.com


In a New Year's Eve post on Tweeters, Kristi Hein noted that people on
the CBC in Anacortes commented on "a notable absence of Varied Thrushes
this fall and winter." Gene Hunn chimed in from California saying all of
the CBC in the California Bay Area "have noted an extraordinary near
absence of Varied Thrushes. It is apparently a widespread phenomenon."
Mike Stropki reported "the same experience" on South Whidbey.


This kind of surprised me, because I remembered a post earlier in
December noting a large number of Varied Thrushes. I went back to look
and found this Dec 17, 2016 Tweeters post from Sharon Cormier-Aagaard:

Stan and I hiked Margaret's Way Trail today in King County's
Cougar-Squak Corridor, a trail connecting Cougar Mountain to Squak
Mountain (2 of the "Issaquah Alps") just off hwy 900 (the old Renton
to Issaquah Road). We expected we'd see Varied Thrush, but NOT in
the amazing abundance that we did! About every 1/4 to 1/2 mile,
we'd watch 8-40 Varied Thrushes flush up in front of us from the
forest floor and angle up into the trees, in all directions, filling
the open spaces, especially when there were 30-40+ birds. Birds
flying every which way, chupping, perching briefly, then flying a
bit further before perching again. This phenomenon went on for 3
miles, to our turn around at Debbie's View. And, the same happened
on our return. Incredible.

So apparently they've all decided to move to the Cougar-Squak Corridor.

Jane Hadley

Seattle, WA