Subject: early walks around Tacoma
Date: Feb 14 11:22:02 2003
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


Check out this Mountaineers site that chronicles early walks around Tacoma.

http://mtn.tpl.lib.wa.us/climbs/

A few of them were led by early ornithologists such as J. H. Bowles
and E. A. Kitchin. Click on "Tacoma Walks" to see a sample of the
walks around Tacoma.

If you don't have a chance to do this, here's one of them, led by J.
H. Bowles on 30 April 1916. "The party took the American Lake car
leaving Tacoma at 9:10 A.M. and got off at 52nd Street, back of the
Northern Pacific shops at South Tacoma. Following the upper Flett
Creek swamp for some distance; thence through the region west and
south of Wapato Lake to a spring just east of Lakeview where lunch
was had; thence south toward Spanaway Lake. The distance covered was
about 9 miles and the expense was 30 cents." The bird names are
copied directly from the list on the website.

Rusty Song Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Redwing Blackbird, Barn Swallow,
Crow, Vesper Sparrow, Pacific Yellowthroat, Sparrow Hawk, Rufus
Hummingbird, Pheasant, Audobon Warbler, Kinglet, Brewers Blackbird,
Anthony Vireo, Flicker, Cassius's Vireo, Towhee, Harris Woodpecker,
Savannah Sparrow, Chicadee, White-crown Sparrow, Cooper's Hawk, Rough
Winged Swallow, Golden-crown Sparrow, Violet green Swallow, Lutescent
Warbler, Robin, Flycatcher, Great Blue Heron, Sooty Grouse, Coot,
Purple Finch, Mallard, Horned Lark, Killdeer, Stellers Jay, Marsh
Wren, Black throated Gray Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Nuthatch, Junco,
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Meadow Lark.

It's very interesting to see what species of birds were around at
that time, for example that you would see Vesper Sparrows, kestrels,
and meadowlarks at that time. I was surprised that pheasants were
already extablished in the area almost a century ago.
--
Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
1500 N. Warner, #1088
Tacoma, WA 98416-1088
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html