[Tweeters] The Next Level Info?

[jimbetz at jimbetz.com]

Hi,

   I -often- have questions that are not being answered by my useual sources
(eBird, Cornell, Audubon, field guides, etc.).  As just one example how do I
answer the question - at what age/in what season do Flickers change from
juvenile patterns to adult?

   When I go to any of the above usually they only have the highest level
of info (a few pictures, range maps, and recent/historical sightings).
I guess I'm finding my way into the areas of ornithological info ... ?
   I have posted questions to this group - maybe once or twice a quarter -
that are along these lines and haven't gotten what I consider "the
answers I was looking for" ... don't get me wrong, I value this
community highly - just for different purposes.

   Since we live in Skagit County most of my "deeper questions" are about
the birds that show up here ... in all seasons.
                                                         - Jim

P.S. I had a first ever sighting event this morning.  Early on, before
they flew off to where ever they went to today, there was a group of
swans (probably all Trumpeters) that had obviously spent the night on a
bend of the Skagit River!  We look down on that large S-curve in the
Skagit that is East of the Gardner Road Launch Ramp and there they were
in a 'line' on the slow side of the sand bar.  Water does flow thru
that area but it is not the primary path for the flow - that's on the
other side of the same bar (just East of where I saw them).  I'm seeing
about 4 or 5 birds "just lifting off and moving" from that location
right now.   Sorry, too far away for a picture.