Due to a business interruption, I arrived late at Bowerman. The tide moves out
quickly and the birds were pretty far away by the time I got there. I would
guess birds were in the tens of thousands - but that's as close as I'd dare. All
the usual suspects...

However, even when late for the action, there are still those thrills that birds
supply with regularity:

A packet of X hundred Western Sandpipers flew so low over my head that it
sounded like a hurricane -- that bundle of boiling bird life sent a chill went
up my spine.

I was scanning through a flock of Canada Geese when it took off. I followed with
the scope and centered on a pair of Greater White-fronted Geese. They did a wide
180 and then headed straight at me at about 40mph. I'm frantically cranking the
focus knob as they get closer and closer and a collision is imminent... I
actually flinched! And then they swooshed over my head.

The Yellowthroats are certainly back, and Bowerman seems to have as many Marsh
Wrens as sandpipers.

A couple in Lana's -- came in an airplane for lunch -- were looking around at
all the diners with bird books. They asked me, "Are there a lot of birds here?"
<G>

So I go back tomorrow -- and I'll get there before high tide this time.

Jerry


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn, 29-Apr-1996