11/21/97, Michael Price writes:

>> Psst, hey buddy, c'mere-- >>

Huh? Oh.. okay....

>> ....ya wanna see a male Alaska-race Common Eider in *full* Alternate
plumage widdout havin to spring for a plane ticket to Nome? ....(snip)....
It's conspicuous, a big black and white tanker of a duck, low in the
water.... (snip).... >>

Jeeezus Michael, you're in top form tonight... lol.
OK, I'm on my way. Thought I'd even (attempt to) take in that visitor from
the 'other' BC as well, the Xantus's Hummingbird. I'm expecting the 'worst'.
The Gibson ferry will be some little tiny thing and will be jammed? Get
there early, would you say? Hmmm... I may have to make this an annual
mid-November event -- for stray hummingbirds, that is. I think it was almost
a year ago today that I troddled off (not from here though) to see the way
too easy Violet-crowned Hummingbird in San Diego (Carlsbad) last year. If
this one (Xantus's) pans out, then I know I'm on to something here.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)