On Mon, 7 Aug 1995, Scott Richardson wrote:
[re the spit on the south edge of the tidal lagoon at the OS game range]
> The small sand spit to the west is closed to people until August 31. It is
> not well marked with closure signs, because the best placement to mark a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> closure puts the signs where they are washed away during high tides.

Actually, it is not marked *at all* with closure signs. One can
walk there simply by following the shoreline. There is no evidence
of any new signs in that area since my last visit in March. There
were closure signs on the spit itself last year. There are none
this year. How in the world can you expect anyone to know the spit
is closed?

> The areas are closed to protect nesting snowy plovers and their broods.
> Human disturbance is probably enemy number one for these threatened
> (Federal designation) shorebirds. They can be seen from outside the
> closures. Other shorebirds on the Oyhut Wildlife Area (game range) can be
> viewed by accessing the spit from the treatment plant (this can require
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So is the spit closed or not? (cf. your above statement; there is only
one spit on the game range...)

> wading). On September 1 the plover closure is over and access to all
> areas of Damon Point and Oyhut Wildlife Area will be open for bird viewing.

I have no problem with judicious closure of plover nesting areas. But
you have to let us know which areas are closed.

David Wright
dwright at u.washington.edu