Subject: Re: Skagit "Game Range"
Date: Jan 02 06:27:01 1998
From: "Joseph T. Leverich" - terryleverich at sprintmail.com


Tweeters,
I can certainly sympathize with your dismay about losing land such as you
describe, but things may not be totally bad. Here in Massachusetts, there is a
huge corn farm in Middleboro called Cumberland Farms. Once upon a time, it was a
cedar swamp. I knew nothing of it at that point. Today it is fully farmed, but
it remains a haven for Short-eared Owls, a number of other raptors, lingering
winterers and many shorebirds (especially near manure piles). The key for birders
is that now one must get into the property in order to see these things.
Birdwatchers from the vicinity have been instrumental in establishing good
relations with the owners, and we are generally welcome to come in and look.
During the past fall, there was some vandalism, and the owner reacted as one might
expect, but within a couple of days, he had been persuaded that the frequent
visitations by birders actually helps prevent such incidents.
Naturally, we stay out of the fields and mostly on the roads---sometimes
in cars, sometimes on foot. Has anyone tried to get to know the owners of this
West 90 parcel?

Terry Leverich

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Joseph T. Leverich
Dorchester, MA
Mailto:terryleverich at sprintmail.com
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