1. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker expedition was featured tonight on All Things Considered and should be available as an audio file on their website, www.npr.org. It's interesting because you can hear the 1935 recording.

2. The wild bird store in White Rock, B.C., has their proprietary center-focus compact binocs (made by Celestron) at half price right now - 8x21 for $31.50, 7x25 for $$35.40 and 9x25 for $40.38, all in US dollars at today's exchange of $1 US = $1.61 Canadian. I don't know if these same prices are available at US stores, but they seemed pretty good to me, especially after dropping $55 US to replenish my bird food supply. Might make a nice spare pair or get a neophyte cheapskate equipped.

The store, also a Nikon dealer, is at the northwest corner of 24th avenue and the King George Highway. Take the first exit north of the Peace Arch and go west, or turn left at the first light after the truck crossing and proceed west to the freeway, then turn right (north) just beyond the freeway on King George and go north to 24th. Truck route northbound and the Peace Arch southbound during the week in the mid to late afternoon are usually not crowded, although wait times are available on am 980 or 1130. The store's open on weekends but the border wait times, esp. southbound, esp. at the Peace Arch, can be ridiculous since the extra staff has been returned to their other assignments.

Jack Kintner <kintner at nas.com> Blaine, WA