Hi Andy,
I am so fortune the owe this book,it was a Birthday Gift to Patrick 8 years
ago.We have used this Book on our many Trips to the Okanogan.Particular one
Bird come to mind, The LONG-BILLED CURLEW,on Chopaka Road.We found them
there on many ocasion, mostly one pair.Last year for the first time we
found 4 individual birds walking the high grass of the end of palmer Lake
and Chopaka road.I was able to take some photos.I remember there was a
Sighting in1991 this before the OKANOGAN WOS CONVENTION of a ALDER
FLYCATCHER.You could not relocate this Bird. I wonder if this Bird ever got
confirmed.Great convention ever.This should be repeated.This is how long we
been Birding in the OKANOGAN county.Our Headquarters are direct PALMER
LAKE CAMP SITE where there is no Fee and the Campsite are divided with
smal high brushes of Vegetation.Our PET- BIRD there is the breeding pair of
CATBIRDS.Despite the amount of Mosquito there in the last few years we was
still going back and staying least 5 days, in order to Bird this particular
AREA, whath we falling in love with.I can write my own book from the
OKANOGAN COUNTY.Birding can not get any better.Last year we ex
tended our trip to fife weeks,in order to get of most the Birds photos.
Andy did you know we have on Adult SLATY-BACKED GULL in TACOMA? The same
place as in 1994.

Ruth

GODWIT at worldnet.att.net

----------
> From: Andy Stepniewski <steppie at wolfenet.com>
> To: TWEETERS <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: White-winged Crossbills and the Cannings family
> Date: Saturday, January 03, 1998 9:19 PM
>
> Tweets,
>
> Richard Rowlett speaks so fondly of the three Cannings brothers (Rob,
> senior brother, professional entomologist working Dennis Paulson on
> "Dragonflies of the Pacific NW," and twins Sydney and Richard; Syd also
an
> entomologist and currently working in a scheme in BC similar to
> Washington's Natural Heritage Program, Dick a professional ornithologist)
> and their book: "Birds of the Okanagan Valley of BC." It must be said
these
> three truly remarkable brothers came from two equally inspiring and
> dedicated naturalist parents-Steve and Jean. I always marvel how three
> brothers could have developed into such a devoted team of really
top-notch
> scientists. The answer clearly lies with Steve and Jean. There are family
> pictures of Syd and Dick with binos strung around there necks at the
> advanced age of four!
>
> I would like to mention (but hope this news is not inappropriate for
> e-mail), that this is, indeed a sad time for the Cannings family as their
> mother Jean was diagnosed with acute leukemia a month ago on Dec. 5 and
> passed away 10 days later. As Dick said, it was rough sailing for a few
> days, but the last week she was apparently comfortable. All the children:
> Rob, Sydney, Dick and Bette were able to be united for the last week of
her
> life. To the entire Cannings family, I wish well. I truly hope Steve will
> manage okay through this period, too.
>
> My own memories of naturalizing with the Cannings family date back to
1972
> where I spent time with Dick in Manning Prov. Park and also in 1972 with
> Syd in Mt. Robson Park, a full summer with Dick in Robson in 1974,
various
> Xmas counts with them since in the Okanagan Valley of Canada. I can say,
> without reservation, that I have learned more about the natural history
of
> the Pacific NW from them than anyone else. I believe any aspiring birder
or
> naturalist would be privileged to spend time with them afield. For
example,
> I can vividly remember Dick returning from an early July weekend of
> exploration at Yellowhead Lake west of the Yellowhead Pass (just west of
> Jasper) in the Canadian Rockies and excitedly relating the sudden and
> pronounced influx of White-winged Crossbills from the boreal spruce
forests
> to the north and east. He predicted they would move south and west
through
> BC over the remainder of the summer. Indeed they did: the fall and winter
> of 1974-75 was a remarkable "invasion" year for White-winged Crossbills
> into southern BC and Washington as I recall.
>
> I modestly regard their Birds of the Okanagan Valley as essential
reading
> for any serious naturalist of the east slopes of the Cascades in southern
> BC, Washington and very probably into eastern Oregon as well.
>
> Not sitting on their laurels after their Okanagan book, Sydney and
Richard
> authored the accaimed "Natural History of BC" (1996 Greystone). This book
> continues winning streak for the Cannings by providing a great resource
for
> all naturalists of that great province.
>
> Having said all this, I believe it's high time their book was
republished.
> It is simply much too useful to be difficult or impossible to obtain.
Here,
> Here! Royal BC Prov. Museum. Count this as vote for a prompt reissue of
> "Birds of the Okanagan Valley" by Rob, Sydney and Richard Cannings.
>
> Andy Stepniewski
> Wapato WA