Hello Ted and Tweeters,
I am sorry to beeing so late with my response, but been in the field
almost every day finding the last of the Dragonflies that are out there and
soon beeing going to die out.I always wonder how some people write so much
and proable never have time to find to go in to the field. You never see
Steve Mlodinow write on to tweeters, but he is in the field almost every
day even if it is for few hours. One of our TOP birders in Washington(there
be others to not to name them all) One can not learn anythink sitting in a
class room and dont aply it going out in the field and learning the
behaviour and when thiis species appear and what habitat you can expect
them to see. I wish more sightings would be posted so i dont have to call
the Birdbox to find good sightings.
I spend this weekend in Camas on the Washougal Rver on Bead Island (where i
had to wade in) to find one Dragonflie the "Spot-winged Glider) which
fooled me, because i took photos of the wrong species and never saw a
Glider I hope i least found one which i collected the "Vivid Dancer"which
would be a new County record, but it had to be confirmed. Patrick spend
three days in eastern Washington driving from Okanagon Co. to Pend-Oreille
Co with Ken Knittle and others. I realy dont know what there all saw, but
one good bird there mention the WHIMBREL on Atkinn's Lake which is rare to
see there.
Thanks for you message Ted it hit something there wy are there so many more
birds sighted in Oregon. This would be my next step to go looking for
Dragonflies.

RuthSullivan
Tacoma

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> From: Ted Kenefick <TedK at zeco.com>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: A Challenge
> Date: Friday, August 20, 1999 3:56 PM
>
> Hello,
>
> I am new to this list and I hesitate even to post this comment, but I am
> posting it as a challenge to birders in Washington in general and
> specifically to members of this list. Judging by the frequently
> acerbic, often venomous tone of the list, I expect that it may cause
> some controversy.
>
> I lived in Oregon for several years, subscribed to OBOL (Oregon Birders
> On-Line) and saw many great birds. I often wondered why so few rarities
> were found in Washington while so many were found in Oregon. While
> there are of course many significant environmental reasons for this,
> i.e. latitude, migration routes, habitat variations etc. I have realized
> after subscribing to this list for about a month that another reason is
> that Washington birders (this means us, tweeters) spend precious little
> time in the field and far too much time ranting and raving about cats
> and religion. Perhaps we should step away from our keyboards especially
> as the fall migration begins to heat up and travel about the state
> finding not only those first-state records but also learning so much
> more about the "common" birds. People like Ruth and Patrick Sullivan,
> Steve Mlodinow, Andy Stepniewski and countless others should be
> congratulated on their untiring efforts in the field. We should look to
> these people as an example. While I certainly understand that getting
> out in the wilds is not always possible due to other responsibilities,
> financial considerations, transportation limitations etc., even a little
> time spent at a nearby location can be immensely rewarding.
>
> I have heard it said that the reason so few rarities are found in
> Washington is because Washington birders "actually have to go birding to
> find birds." Sure it is a snide comment. Well, I hate to say it but
> that is the perception out there. Let's erase it.
>
> Thank You for Listening.
> Ted Kenefick
>
> p.s. I will be at Ocean Shores and other coastal areas this weekend; I
> hope to see you out there.
>