Subject: Wenas this weekend
Date: May 26 23:56:44 1998
From: SCRBJAY - SCRBJAY at aol.com


Tweets,

I just returned from my first experience with the Audubon Memorial Day Weekend
Campout. What a trip!!! It was a great weekend, even if the weather wasn't
all that good (at least most of the rain was at night). People knew I was a
first timer because of all the "life birds" I saw. I saw a total of 61 species
out of the 116+ seen over the weekend. Of the 61 I saw, 17 were lifers,
including WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER, RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, CALIOPE and BLACK-
CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS, all seen in camp.

The highlight of the trip had to be the bird condo we found on Hog Ranch Ridge
on Saturday morning. The top hole had an active PIGMY NUTHATCH nest while the
lower hole contained an active MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD nest. The holes were close
enough to get both of them in a spotting scope!! Pretty impressive.

When I arrive at the campground on Friday I got my first shock. I certainly
didn't expect to find the area so big! At the lower end of the camp ground
were the horse trailers and the cowboys, not the birders. Another hundred
yards or so was another cluster of tents. Oops. Dirt bikes and ATVs,
definately not birders. Another hundred yards or so and there were small signs
up on a tree on each side of the road. I couldn't read them from the truck, so
Barb Shelman got out to see what thay said. This is it, was her reply. the
upper half of the campground was reserved for the 28th (I think) Audubon
campout. Lots of space and quite a few people. I found out later that they
expected about 300 people by Saturday afternoon. Probably had that many, too.

All in all it was a great weekend and I plan to be back next year. Anyone who
hasn'r been owes it to themselves to go at least once. There is lots to do any
many species that we don't get here on the west side to see. The people are
great and very helpful. See you at Wenas next year.

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
scrbjay at aol.com