[Birdtalk] Townsend's Solitaire

[Kristin Purdy]

Jim,

Your witnessing so many Townsend's Solitaires may be another sign of a 
significant downslope movement of montane species that Rick Fridell is 
monitoring through the Red-breasted Nuthatch movements. I think your 
sighting of so many at once is exceptional.

Townsend's Solitaires may withdraw from northern limits of their range in a 
traditional migration, they may move to a lower elevation, or they may stay 
at the same place year round. I'd like to think ours fall into the last two 
categories. I've seen many Townsend's Solitaires along the Wasatch Front in 
some years, just as we see many Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, 
Golden-crowned Kinglets and mountain finch species. That wasn't true of last 
winter, however, when we didn't see many mountain birds along the Wasatch 
Front. Wasatch Audubon barely eked out two Townsend's Solitaire sightings on 
our Ogden Christmas Count. In other years, we've seen many, especially in 
cemeteries and neighborhoods where juniper and other fruit trees are 
located. That's where the fun is and we can watch how territorial Townsend's 
Solitaires can be in defending fruit crops.

I hope your sighting means a good year for lower elevation Townsend's 
Solitaires. Perhaps we'll all enjoy a winter sighting as entertaining as 
these documented by Charles Lockerbie in The Condor in 1939:

"Townsend Solitaires Declare Ownership.--On January 10, 1937, I saw a 
Townsend Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) rout a flock of about twenty-five 
Bohemian Waxwings (Bombycilla garrula) from his haw thicket in City Creek 
Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah. While on my way up the canyon, I had noted the 
solitaire. Just as I returned, the waxwings arrived. The solitaire dashed 
from one to another, moving them from place to place. They finally bunched 
on the top of an adjacent oak clump and raised their heads and trilled. But, 
this did not dismay him. He charged at the flock and put them to flight down 
the canyon.

On January 9, 1938, I again found the waxwings near the same place, but in 
this instance they were sunning themselves in tall cottonwoods along the 
creek and frequently descended to drink. While watching them, three of the 
birds flew to a nearby haw thicket. Almost instantly a solitaire came flying 
down the hill, but, seeing me, lit some fifty feet from where the waxwings 
were feeding and in no position to see them. I expected the solitaire to 
chase them out again, but either from fear of me or because he could not see 
the feeding waxwings, he came no closer.

On February 6, 1939, I noticed another instance of ownership in a downtown 
district where a solitaire scolded a flock of fifteen Bohemian Waxwings that 
had come to his pyracantha bushes. A janitor came to his service by throwing 
a snowball at the flock in an effort to save the berries. However, the next 
time I passed, the bushes were bare."  --C. W. Lockerbie, Salt Lack City, 
Utah, April 15, 1939.

Kris
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim & Beanie
  To: Bird Talk
  Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 6:17 PM
  Subject: [Birdtalk] Townsend's Solitaire


  Yesterday, september 15,  I spent some time in Blacksmith Fork Canyon. 
(Cache County)

  I noticed that there were many (+/- 20) Townsend's Solitaires flitting 
about.

  Today I took a drive to Porcupine Dam, and just below the dam there was 
several Townsend's Solitaires.

  I don't remember seeing so many of this species  together, ever.  Usually 
they are "Solitaire".

  I don't know if they are grouping up to migrate, or to go foraging.  What 
can you tell me about their habits.?

  Jim

  http://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/nature/default.htm


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