Thanks to everyone (so far 37 responses) on where to find chats. I have
birded in most states in the USA and did my doctorate at the University of
Oregon. According to many replies Oregon is crawling with chats---oh well
I guess they really skulked when I was there.

Everybody's comments on my Aunt May and my stories about her are very
flattering. Yes I do have many more where they came from and will do my
best to post one from time to time. Unfortunately I don't have much time
as I am an environmental and international lawyer--and when I am not
watching birds, I'm trying to save them. I mainly work in developing
countries in the Asia-Pacific region including Papua New Guinea,
Indonesia, Fiji, Thailand etc. The problems for the forests there are
unbelievable.

To answer some questions that many people had---

1) 3500 life list--if you want a big list, you must go to the tropics,
thats the bottom line. I have extensively birded tropical Brazil, Peru,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica and
others. Most of my species come from these countries.

2) Money--you don't need lots of money to travel believe me. I mostly work
do volunteer work and run a non-profit company so I have always had to
keep a strict budget. If you are willing to tough it in the backcountry
and like living with indigenous peoples, you can see many birds for little
money. I try to give most of my money to local people I live with and
local guides who take me to the ends of the earth.

3) My mother's family is from New York, My father's family is from Norway
and Sweden--Vang means cow paddock in Norwegian. I use Australia as a
home base for my Asian-pacific work. (wait til you hear the stories from
my father's family--my grandmother is a Lapplander and my grandfather was
one of the leaders of the Norwegian resistance against the Nazis in
Narvik). I have lots of good Scandinavian bird stories.

4) Although I can not reply to all the messages I have received
personally--I will do my best to answer specific questions and reply to
special letters--but you might have to give me a few weeks.

5) I would be glad to help people who want information on birding in
countries, I have worked and birded in. If anyone is coming to Australia
or the South Pacific, I would be glad to show you around if I have a free
weekend.

6) Yes I will keep the stories coming!! Feel free to pass them on, post
them in other places or use them in any good way--they are meant to
inspire and put smiles on peoples faces in an often difficult world. If
anyone thinks they can get them published go ahead and forward them. We
could split the proceeds on a nice birding trip to somewhere neat or
donate them to a birding charity.


Anyway I went up into the Blue Mountains west of Sydney today (Sunday) and
found two birds that I had been looking for for some time without prior
success. The first is the Bell Miner (Bellbird) (Manorina melanophrys). It
is an olive green honeyeater witha bright yellow bill and orange feet.
This bird lives in colonies and makes a lovely clinking chime noise. We
found the noise before we found the birds. Finally we came across 20 of
them in a clearing (feast or famine). We watched them for two hours as
they chimed away and got excellent views. The colony was in Springwood at
the Hawkesbury Rd turnoff.

The second bird was a great find. We had to drive to the far western side
of the Wollemai National Park (NW of Lithgow--170km W of Sydney). We
walked in the pagodas for some time. The pagodas are giant sandstone
monoliths rising out of the forest floor. We saw many birds but not our
target species. But as the sun was sinking, we climbed a large monolith
to get a good view of the surroundings. Then we heard 'chortle chortle'.
My friend saw it first. And then it stepped out in plain view only a few
metres away. It is Australia's largest perching bird--Menura
novaehollandiae--the Superb Lyrebird. God it was beautiful. About a
metre in length, a lone male sat on the sandstone, with the fading sun
shining on it--what luck!! These are not easy to see and I have made
several trips to find them. It sat on the rock for 5 minutes in plain view
and then flew to a nearby limb where it continued preening until dark
still in plain view. What a way to end the day.

Oh well thanks again for all the nice messages--4,000 here I come!!!
Kevin


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Dr. Kevin Vang: School of Earth Sciences or the School of History,
Philosophy and Politics, The Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2019,
AUSTRALIA

Director, Environment and Development Group International, 64/302 Burns Bay Rd
Lane Cove, NSW 2066 AUSTRALIA Email <kvang at laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au>

ANTARES*HEPHAISTION*ALDEBARAN*FARAMIR*ALTAIR*NORDLAND*RIGEL*MUIR*ETNA*RIVENDELL
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