In response to Dave's query about Townsend's Warblers...I have had a
small flock, 5-8, messing around between an elm tree outside my office
window and the ivy-covered exterior of the building. Although this isn't
a large flock, in past winters there have been only 1 or 2 birds usually
in feeding flocks of kinglets. I love this old elm tree. My office is
on the 4th floor and I look directly into the crown of the tree. Early
in December a Barred Owl chose a branch 15 feet from my window to roost
all day.

Concerning the volume of mail, I think it is great. I subscribed in mid
December, and have found much of the information useful and all of it
entertaining. It has helped me feel a bit more connected to the state's
birding community. Especially helpful have been the info on gull id and
Dennis' tirade about Christmas counts (which I printed out and will share
with my co-organizers of the B'ham count).

As a female birder of the obsessed, non-granny type, I also enjoyed that
discussion. My biggest frustration here is a scarcity of birding
partners. Most are significant-othered males whose partners resent them
spending weekends with a single female. Go figure!

Thanks for the good information and entertainment. And, since I'm
sure most of you are connected through your place of employment, how do you
fit in work and still keep up with all the information?


Geri Walker
Bureau for Faculty Research
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA 98225

gwalk at henson.cc.wwu.edu