Subject: Dollars Paid for Bird Viewing??
Date: Mar 7 09:59:26 2002
From: Franny Drobny - fdrobny at cairncross.com


Hi Tweets:

This idea about leaving birdseed or money for bird viewing may not actually
be such a bad idea for local landowners to consider. The reason I mention
this is because the same thing happens in the fishing world with great
success. I am an avid flyfisher (who birds) and I access lots of areas in
the state for fishing, just as birders do to see birds. There are
landowners in the area who actually allow public access across their
farmland to the local fishing hole, but charge you. (Everyone knows you
can't keep a good thing a secret or stop people from seeking it out.) This
one fishing hole off of Ben Howard Road near Sultan, on the Skykomish River,
has such a thing. It's called "two bit" and is well known among the fishing
crowd. The local farmer has a dirt road crossing his fenced pasture with a
gate across it where you have to stop your car at and open, then shut, once
you pass through. At this gate is a small metal box with a slot in it. My
recall is that when it first started you had to put 25 cents in (hence the
name "two bit"), but over the years it had gone up to a $1.00. It may even
be different now as I haven't been there lately. There are actually no
signs, only word of mouth on what the drill was. The farmer waves at you
when you drive by and keeps a parking area next to the river nicely graded
and bulldozed so you can park your car. People are very grateful and
respectful of his property. By the way, this is also a nice place to bird.
You should check it out.

Franny Drobny
Seattle, WA



































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