Trying to send a message to Richard Rowlett but my c omputer says wrong
address--Dear Richard: Your posting regarding loneliness here in the Pacific
Northwest really struck a chord. When I came here in 1982 from Arizona, I
found an absolute and total lack of comunication between birders in Tacoma
and Seattle except for a long-distance hot line. I subsequently learned, of
course, that we did have, here, a few birders who were conversant with the
SAS.

Bear with me. In Arizona, from the early '70's, we had established at least
basic communications within the state regarding usual and then unusual
sightings. Of course, this was very primitive via telephone, and involved
many Tucson and Phoenix birders--reports from the Chiricahuas and the canyons
of southeastern areas being made mainly by word of mouth. But, by and large,
our system worked and the first Coppery-tailed Trogons and subsequent Eared
Trogons were seen by birders from all over the U.S. via our primitive system.


I'm an old-time birder and, having always been a loner, only became aware
that there were other "birders" in the world after arriving in Tucson. I
guess that's why I expected to have the same camaraderie here in the Pacific
Northwest. So I would like to add my thanks to Dan Victor ( and all of you
who post on Tweeters). It seems unimportant to me what "default" you use.
Eventually, because of the WOS Newsletter and Tweeters, I'll at least have a
fair idea of what's happening.

Richard, we've never met but I thank you very much for sharing your feelings.
Sincerely yours. Murray

Murray Hansen
Graham, WA
MurrayH at aol.com