Subject: Oh, I'm as happy as a lark!!!.......From S.W. Wash.
Date: Jul 13 19:51:37 1999
From: Gerald Hamilton - gerald at e-z.net


..........................This report is a few days late........my
telephone system didn't work last night.....just one of life's "pleasant
little surprises" .I have since found the offending, misbehaving part,
and am now able to get back online.
...........................Sunday was one absolutely gorgeous day for a
simmer's day stroll around the south unit of Ridgefield NWR near Vanc.,
Wash. Temp. about 83' with a nice breeze from N.-NW.
............................Doing lots of work at the refuge improving
the wetlands, and building a bigger dike along Rest Lake for deeper
water there. As a result many of the wetlands are being (especially Rest
Lake) drained to facilitate these projects.
............................Many of the usual summer- resident winged
creatures:
Red-winged Blackbirds
Cedar Waxwings
Common Yellowthroat
MacGillivray's Warbler
A few Am. Goldfinches
Some flyby Sparrows(species unidentified)
Western Sandpipers
Common Snipe
Killdeers
1 American Bittern
Barn, Tree, and Cliff Swallows
1 male and 1 female No. Harrier Hawk
Mourning Doves
Mallards
Great Blue Herons
a flock of Western Canada Geese
and...........1 Painted Turtle sunning himself.
...............along with the more mundane Robins, Crows etc. etc. etc.
...............Heard different birds singing in the treed sections, but
when I attempted to walk in these area to see what species I could
observe, armies of mosquitos attacked me, eager for an evening meal; and
I was forced to beat a hasty retreat--mission unaccomplished!!!! Some
birds eat mosquitos, so--I guess there is a place for them in thr food
chain, but....*.they* won't be allowed to include *me* in *their* food
chain!!!!!!..........Cheers!!!!!!!

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net