Tweeters;
I was on crazy birding trip to Malheur in 1987. We being the ignorant
Canadians decided to visit the desert in November not realizing that the
"high desert" is actually very cold (-22F). In fact it was the coldest
place in the lower 48 on the weekend we were going to camp. Needless to
say the French Glen Inn beckoned. The Grebe story involved the sub-zero
weather. We did go birding and found most of the water frozen and locked
in the ice one very uncomfortable Grebe. We managed to free it without
falling through the ice but we got stabbed several times by the sharp
bill in the process. The hilarious event was documented with photos and
it wasn't until we got back to Victoria and developed the film that we
realized we all had a lifer literally in our hands because the Grebe was
a Clark's not a Western. So much for the observant birders.
Tracee Geernaert
tracee at iphc.washington.edu