[Tweeters] Nuthatch dispersal - more thoughts

[Bill Tweit]

Many thanks to Eric for posting on this topic, I had been meaning to post
as well and glad he opened the door.   I agree with Eric, there is a very
unusual and probably significant movement of interior cone-dependent
species at present throughout the Northwest.  I've not looked at eBird more
broadly to see how widespread the movement is.   It is highly likely a
result of the poor cone year we are experiencing.  My contacts in forestry
who track cone production in WA have told me this is a very poor cone year
for a broad range of coniferous species.

My first indication of this movement was recording numerous small flocks of
Pygmy Nuthatch and a small group of Clark's Nutcrackers on the ridge on the
north side of the Columbia just east of Lyle on 2 Aug.  Neither species is
regular at this location, and Clark's are scarce almost everywhere in
Klickitat.   After that, other Klickitat observers noted Pygmy Nuthatches
in many unexpected locations and they are being found similarly south of
the Columbia.  A few other Clark's have been reported.   In western WA,
there has already been one Pygmy at Paradise Point in Mt. Rainier NP, the
record is on eBird (https://ebird.org/checklist/S146721046) and as Eric
noted, western OR has seen several records including one at Marys Peak in
the coast range, also on eBird (https://ebird.org/checklist/S147355633).
Clark's Nutcrackers were also recorded there that day.  In the Columbia
Basin, at least two Pygmys have been found in the Tri-Cities area (
https://ebird.org/checklist/S147432120).

Observers should be on the alert for out of range nuthatches and
nutcrackers, and make sure they are reported in eBird in order to document
the magnitude of this event.

Bill Tweit
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