In a message dated 12/24/99 11:11:05 AM Pacific Standard Time,
ipaulsen at linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us writes:

<< Welcome back to the NW. George Gerdts and Vic Nelson had a flock of
redpolls later in the weekend and had 1 Hoary in the flock. Mike Force was
in town a few days ago and was talking about a Short-tailed Albatross he
had off the coast of Oregon. Did you ever get to Peru? >>


Hello Ian and to all who've sent notes of 'welcome back' --

Thanks! It's great to be back for a while. I did run into George and Vic
when I was in the Okanogan and have subsequently seen their post about their
find of redpolls. Still, it was just one flock and I'd bet there are others
widely scattered around and it's just a matter of luck stumbling on to one of
them right now.

How did you happen to run into Mike Force?? Just by chance or otherwise? He
is supposedly off again for another cruise soon -- maybe even gone already as
of now although I'd heard that the British vessel he was assigned to has been
delayed six weeks(!!) due to ice conditions. I bailed on that option of
another cruise so soon and right on the heels of the last one, even if it is
in the Antarctic, Falklands, and South Georgia. Been there, done that (23
times!!). I've been on the go and in the field virtually nonstop this year
since mid-March already. It's time now to just stop and cool my jets for a
while before I lose total control of 'the other reality', a so-called home
life, and many things that have piled up and need tending. No regrets at
all! Meanwhile, others I suppose would 'kill' for such an opportunity while
for now, I'm quite content to tend my chickadees, juncos, and Anna's
Hummingbirds (4 of 'em already!) and otherwise 'hibernate' here in the PNW
:-))

The ETP (Eastern Tropical Pacific -- San Diego > Hawaii > Costa Rica >
Galapagos > Peru > Panama > San Diego) cruise was fantastic! It was hands
down the best of any I have participated in since I first started making
trips down there in the late 1980's. A vast and diverse cruise track, a long
list of great birds, mammals, port calls, and island stops, and generally
agreeable weather throughout. Lots of good stories I think. I don't know
quite how to deal with all of it or share it in a way that wouldn't be
perceived in a 'blow hard' manner. There is not really a good or appropriate
venue on the Internet and perhaps the best way is via creating a personal
website. Maybe that's something I can work on this winter although I haven't
a clue how or where to start. A personal website would be a more effective
way to reach a wider and more diverse audience targeting those that might be
interested without cluttering up just one local and specialized listserv.

I will say that the best bird find was a JOUANIN'S PETREL off Hawaii (Kona).
This apparently constitutes the first 'at sea' sighting in the Pacific and as
such adds another footnote to the curious list of occurrences of this
tropical Indian Ocean species which has been recorded now on three occasions
occupying island burrows way out in the leeward Hawaiian chain. It's
certainly worthy of special attention and publication. I talked to Bob Pyle
about it when I was in Hawaii back in August and he was quite excited and
supportive. I need to discuss it with Bob's son, Peter at Point Reyes.

And we did make it to Peru. All said and done, the short inport was
incredible. Bailing out pretty much on an exclusive birding venture, and
with the ultimate in unplanned spontaneity, we literally bailed off the ship,
boarded a plane, and all within a few hours of mooring, a little group of us
(including Mike Force) were already over in the Amazon lowlands near Pucallpa
where we spent a wildly successful couple of days with (dining with and
swimming with even!!) the two species of river dolphins, _Inia geoffrensis_
(Boutu or 'Pink Dolphin') and _Sotalia fluviatilis_ (Tucuxi). That adventure
might be a good story for 'Tweeters' and easy to resurrect too from my notes.

So thanks everybody for the 'welcome back'. I've got to get back to my
chickadees and make sure they are being well fed, thaw out the hummingbird
feeders, and clean the ice out of the birdbath. Best wishes to all in the
new millennium! --Richard

****************************************************
Richard Rowlett (Pterodroma at aol.com)
Seattle / Bellevue, WA, USA

"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what
nobody has thought" --Albert Szent-Gyorgi (1893-1986).
"We create our future by well improving present opportunities, however few or
small they may be" --Lewis H. Latimer (1848-1928).

----- These pieces of wisdom were among many others discovered embedded in
the stone walkway at the California Science Center, Los Angeles on 12/11/99,
during a visit there to view the timely IMAX 3-D film, "The Galapagos", a
splendid and highly recommended presentation which for me literally put me
right back where I was only a few short weeks ago. I hope this one makes it
to Seattle's Pacific Science Center IMAX theater soon! Only 40 minutes long,
it left me in tears and begging for 400 minutes more!!
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