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.
It was a very exciting time, as you can well imagine.

The let-down here was, therefore, traumatic for me and it has only been with
the advent of Tweeters (to which I belatedly subscribed) that I feel the same
sort of enthusiasm coming from all of you and makes me feel as though I can
be a part of the birding scene again.

Therefore, I would like to thank, publicly, Dan Victor for his dedication to
his listserve, and all of the "Tweets" for sharing sightings, directions,
experiences, feelings, i.d. discussions, and all of the rest of that
phenomenon which we call birding! (Have to admit I even enjoy the "silly
season"!) Sincerely yours, Murray

Murray Hansen
Graham, WA
MurrayH at aol.com