Hi Tweeters

We finally picked up a new Packard-Bell, and I'm using up some of AOLs 'free'
10-hour trial period. I'll probably try Compuserve's 10-hour 'free' trial as
well, before settling on a good local provider.

Anyway, I was browsing the Tweeters digest, and just had to respond to Kelly
McAllister's comment that Common Murres had "declined to near nothing as a
Washington breeder.."

I spoke with Dr Julia Parrish of the UDub at a fisheries by-catch reduction
seminar at Fish Expo in Seattle last summer. She noted that, in spite of
what the media and the savants were reporting, WA's Common Murre breeding
population was in the range of 12,000 or so. Certainly down from the
Pre-1983 El Nino event numbers of 30K, but 'way more than the 500-3,000 that
I've been hearing some folks using.

It's nice to hear that the sky hasn't fallen, especially from someone who
spends a lot of the breeding season out at Tatoosh. (I just wish *I* could
spend some time out there :-))

Anyhow, I hope to have settled on a net provider in a few short weeks, and
re-subscribe to Tweeters. It'll be good to chat with y'all again.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, WA