Birders,

Many of you on the E-mail groups that I am sending this to are
probably unaware of, or have never joined, British Columbia Field
Ornithologists (BCFO). BCFO is a great organization that almost all of
you, except for those with a very casual interest in birds, would
enjoy belonging to. It was founded in 1991, and currently has a little
over 200 members. BCFO in many ways was modelled after similar
organizations in other provinces and states, especially WOS (the
Washington Ornithological Society) and OFO (Oregon Field
Ornithologists). It is the ONLY province-wide society devoted to
birding and bird study in B.C.

BCFO publishes a quarterly newsletter, BC BIRDING, with about 20
to 28 pages of articles and news. It also publishes a journal, B.C.
BIRDS, once a year, with detailed articles on the birds of B.C. It
schedules occasional field trips in different parts of B.C. (such as
one last month to look for Spotted Owls near Hope.) It also holds an
annual meeting of 2-3 days, featuring field trips and interesting
speakers. The 2000 Annual Meeting will be at the University of B.C.,
August 11 to 13, and will feature a Saturday evening banquet with
guest speaker Dennis Paulson, renowned authority on birds (and
dragonflies) of the Northwest, and author of "Shorebirds of the
Pacific Northwest".

Annual membership in BCFO is only $25, or $10 for a student member
under the age of 19. Please send cheques or money orders, payable to
B.C. Field Ornithologists, to BCFO at PO Box 8059, Victoria, B.C. V8W
3R7. Members in the U.S. are asked to pay their membership in U.S.
dollars to cover the extra costs of mailing, etc.

For further information, visit the BCFO webpage, located at
www.islandnet.com/~boom/birding/bcfo/index.htm .The webpage includes
only basic information at present, including a printable membership
form, but there are plans to expand the webpage in future.

I am sending this to TWEETERS as well as the four B.C. birding
E-mail groups because many B.C. birders are on TWEETERS. We also
welcome Washington State members; we have had as many as 20 of you in
the past, and would love to have more Washingtonians on board.

BCFO, although a great organization, has tended to keep a rather
low profile in the past. This message was not prepared or officially
sponsored by BCFO. I am simply sending it out as a BCFO member (and
former membership secretary) who feels that a lot more people should
know about BCFO, and would enjoy the benefits of membership in the
society.

For those who are already members, please forgive the shameless
promotion!

Sincerely,

Wayne C. Weber
114-525 Dalgleish Drive
Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6E4
Phone: (250) 377-8865
wayne_weber at bc.sympatico.ca