Dear All,
I got information information about Tweeters from Ted Becker who
said some of you would be able to provide all the information I wanted.
My family and I are coming to spend a two-week vacation in
Washington in the first two weeks of August. We plan to spend the
first week at Marblemount, N Cascades and the second week on the San
Juans. I've birded the East coast of North America fairly hard, had 3
spring trips to Texas and spent a summer in Manitoba. However, |'ve
never got to the west coast so I know there will be a lot of good
birds for me.
I'm a fairly hard core birder,a member of the British
Rarities Committee and a keen bird photographer so I'm used to
finding my own birds all over the world but I have learned, in my
dotage, that a little local knowledge can save a lot of heartache.
I reckon I could just about find what I want in the San
Juans, but if you have any certain spots for Surfbird, Tattler or
Rock Sandpiper at that time of the year I'd be interested (or Elegant
Tern for that matter) I missed Wandering Tattler twice in Texas by
about 4 hrs though I've seen Grey-tailed a couple of times in China.
I guess, however, that some of the passerines I'm particularly
interested in may be available on the San Juans and you may also have
a depth of knowledge about the birds of the North Cascades.I also
want to spend time studying juvenile Western Sandpipers. I've seen
lots of fall Semi-Ps and Leasts and lots of Spring (alternate)
Westerns but juveniles are what I need to see (as these are the most
relevant to searching for vagrants in UK). Are there any really
good shorebird spots on the San Juans. I'll have a day at Iona, BC and
some time at Seattle Airport when I fly out on the 16th so maybe
there is somewhere there?
I think the birds of the N Cascades will prove more of a
problem in August especially as my kids(two girls aged 15 & 14)
are much more interested in the social aspects of the holiday
especially the chances of meeting sub-adult males!!!! so the
opportunities to go on three-day hikes in the Mt Baker area are
severely limited!
Because of this the key species for me in this area are
1)the western warblers (Townsend's, Hermit, Black-throated ,Macgillivary's)
2)Hutton's Vireo,
3)Townsend's Solitaire,
4)Varied Thrush,
5)the western Flycatchers,
6) Lazuli Bunting,
7) Brewer's and Sage Sparrow (I guess I'll have to go a long way east to
find Sage Sparrow
8)any of the western Woodpeckers,
9)Spotted and Pygmy Owl
10)anything special you can think of.

The other thing I'd be really keen on is to get good views of
Hermit Thrush. I've seen hundreds but they've all been at 200 yds thru' a
scope singing on a snag! I'm meant to be one of Britain's authorities on
Catharus Thrushes and it's a bit un-nerving to be so unfamiliar with one of
the group!!
I know this sounds like a hell of a shopping list but I'm
more interested in these than, say, the Ptarmigan or Rosy Finches -
although if you know any good sites for them...............
We're staying in Clark's Cabins (do you know them?) for the
first week (starting 3rd Aug) and the Inn at Friday Harbour(?) for the
second weekgetting there on 11th). I have a birding friend from England and
his family (2 more girls) staying there also. If you have 4 sons aged 17 -
13 and a partner who's into creative writing bring them over to meet us
while you, me and Martin go birding or talk over a cold beer! Look forward
to hearing from you

Best wishes

Colin Bradshaw