I just finished the arduous task of deleting a new record of 320 messages
from my email library. It truly was a library. I guess I learned the
hardway that my attempt at postponing my tweeters mail did not work.

Anyway yes Virginia (rails) do fly! I had a wonderful pre-SAS field trip
scout with
Richard Youel and Dennise Takahashi at Nisqually yesterday. Besides the
nesting Belted Kingfishers and warring Common Yellowthroats we actually saw
a Virginia Rail fly. We were perched on the dike eating lunch and the bird
flushed from the cattail marsh about 4 feet in front of us. After
retrieving my cookie and binoculars ( in that order) we noticed a mink
swimming away from the scene. I guess rail and mink are not amiable
neighbours. Great looks at Hairy Woodpeckers and a roosting Great Horned
Owl too.

Tracee Geernaert
tracee at iphc.washington.edu