John Sidles yesterday posted a message alerting Tweeters readers to
the new wildlife viewing area at John River near Westport. I notice
on maps that hunting is allowed in that area. I'm curious how restricted
the wildlife area is during hunting season. Is it something like at
Spencer Island, where the hunters get most of the island, and where
the birds get scared off?

Just in passing, this might be interesting: I phoned the Washington State
Department of Fish and Wildlife to try to obtain the above information, and
to find out the general availability of such information for all wildlife
viewing areas. I got passed through to three or four different departments
and finally ended up at the "habitat" department. I explained that I was a
birder and was interested in information explaining just where and when
hunting was allowed at various locations around the state, and especially
at the John River area, so that I wouldn't conflict with it. After
explaining what I wanted several different ways, and telling her again that
I was a birder, it finally dawned on me that the reason she kept trying to
tell me where I could hunt ducks was that she thought the term "birder"
meant that I was a bird-shooting type of hunter. So I told her I was a
birdWATCHER, she finally realized what I was requesting, and she told me to
contact the corresponding US department with respect to John River. It just
seemed strange that someone who is concerned with "habitat" wouldn't have
any idea what a birder is.

Bob Mauritsen
rhm at ms.washington.edu