[Lalaith]

Very interesting points, lindil.
It seems to me that the elven communities of the Third Age had all become isolated and insular. People have mentioned the lapse of communication between Lorien and Mirkwood. Think also of Celeborn warning the travellers about Fangorn (and having seemingly forgotten about the Ents, which he should not have done as they fought on the side of right in the First Age...)
Legolas, although very in tune with nature and the environment, also seems to have little idea of what we would now term, current affairs.
And Elrond, wisest of the wise, has only the haziest idea about Tom Bombadil.
I wonder where the Mirkwood elves were at the time of the storming of Dol Guldur?
Was the dwarf/elf dispute a Beleriand one? I thought the one referred to in the Hobbit was of more recent origin.