Holy plundering raptors, batman! THIS is great news if in fact it is true!
How many of us have drooled at the imaginings of being able to legally walk
out to the dike and yet not render unnecessary disturbance to the birds all
over the place out there? Well, I certainly have, and NO, never done such.

Mike has briefly outlined the plan for this area. I for one, would like to
see a return, at least, that weedy sedgy field to the south which harbored so
many short-eared owls and a raptor in every pot, ...uh, I mean on every fence
post, before it turned to corn stubble this year.

If the West 90 area opens up more, I can imagine the need for a larger
parking area, and I'd be willing to pay to park there, if it helps in some
way. If walking out there, on designated routes I'd assume, remains
prohibited as it is now, and perhaps still should be, perhaps erecting an
observation tower on the West 90 would be a useful and appreciated structure.
We all share the frustration with being at sea level with the flats, and
can't get very good views of the birds that are out there on the far side
along the dike. Actually, I think the observation tower is a good idea,
regardless. Any thoughts?

As for the Skagit/Sammish rednecks, I say, just "kill 'em". Just kidding!!
Sorry. The tenor of the flamage over hostility/etiquette... was a bit much
for me as I think it was for others. Hopefully, that's dead and buried now.
Are we all friends again?

>Mike Kennedy:
>
>>Of note to the sammish flats, this past weekend we encountered a Washington
>>State wildlife biologist at the West 90 who was surveying the land between
>>there and the dike. They are closing on the property in 3 weeks and will
>>provide parking at the corner, maybe a trail to the dike, and probably
>allow
>>hunting in season.
>
>Mike, what great news! Do you have any information on how large the parcel
>is, or generally how it lies from the Samish "west 90"? Does it include the

>entire large field extending both directions from the 90 degree turn in the
>highway?
>
>Dave Nunnallee

---------------------------------

>Dave -
>Sorry to say, but I do not have definate specifics of the pending state
>purchase. At the time it was enough to know it was happening. My
>impression is that the parcel extends west to the dike and south to the dike
>from the west 90 turn and includes every thing between those lines. I
>believe it's the Washington State Fish and Game doing the buying and the
>fellow indicated the funding was coming from duck stamp funds. They hope to
>crop the field in some grain, not corn which has been grown there, and leave
>it for the ducks.
>
>Mike Kennedy, Port Townsend <mikken at daka.com>


Richard Rowlett <pagodroma at aol.com>
Bellevue, WA, USA