Aaron,

In my post I noted-
"Leora and I would make that trip in February of 2000 only to discover that
the Sky Lark song no longer came down on America. Foxes had wiped them out a
year earlier."

It would have been better for me to write, "Make that trip to American Camp
in February of 2000."

Larry


Aaron Martin wrote:

> Tweets,
>
> Please correct me if I am wrong but if I remember correctly Kaufmann
> was writing about the Skylark colony in the San Juan Islands. Since
> then every source I read says the San Juan Skylarks have been
> extirpated. Can anyone comment on if this is truly the case or not.
> Or if perhaps there is still an extremely small colony out there.
>
> Thanks,
> Aaron Martin
> Seattle, WA
>
> On 4/14/05, Larry Schwitters <lpatters at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > IGIF Tweeters,
> >
> > In 1903 what seems to have been one of North America's least harmful
> > exotic wildlife introductions took place on Vancouver Island with the
> > release of 100 Sky Larks. They never expanded far from their release
> > location, and became most numerous in 1965 with an estimated 1000
> > individuals.
> >
> > Kenn Kaufman uses eight pages of his "Kingbird Highway" (two thumbs up)
> > to describe the connection he made with this songbird. "There! So high
> > above the earth that it was almost beyond vision, the Sky Lark hovered
> > in the wind. Binoculars resolved this speck into the silhouette of a
> > bird suspended in the sky, its wings barely quivering to hold it aloft.
> > It seemed incredible that any bird should have the strength to fly at
> > the same time that it delivered this song: this amazing torrent of song,
> > which came down so clearly and so continuously." The stage was American
> > Camp in the San Juan Islands. Leora and I would make that trip in
> > February of 2000 only to discover that the Sky Lark song no longer came
> > down on America. Foxes had wiped them out a year earlier.
> >
> > A 1999 estimate was of only 201 individuals left on Vancouver Island.
> > Opperman's "A Birders Guide to Washington" gives clear directions to the
> > last three locations for finding Sky Lark. Wednesday Leora and I
> > checked them out. We first birded Martindale Flats, drew a total blank,
> > and came away with a "this is not a fun place to look for Sky Larks"
> > recommendation. Busy, noisy, highway 17 is always close at hand. The
> > second site, the daffodil fields, was a big improvement, and there we
> > even thought we heard one sing. It was raining when we got to the last
> > and noted best site, the Victoria airport. That proved to be strike
> > three, and it was time to set up camp at Motel 8.
> >
> > As we still had some daylight, and the Vantreight Bulb complex was only
> > 1.5 miles away, we went back to the spot where we thought we had heard
> > one and immediately flushed two likely suspects from the edge of the
> > road. We were able to get one in the scope and watched it shuffle up
> > and down the plowed rows. As the sun touched the horizon, the larks
> > took to the clouded sky, and like musicians in a jazz combo, each took
> > their turn in delivering a magnificent solo performance.
> >
> > This was a very pleasant and memorable two day birding adventure. I
> > would be pleased to pass on additional details to anyone who may be
> > interested.
> >
> > Good Larking,
> >
> > Larry Schwitters
> > Issaquah
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tweeters mailing list
> > Tweeters at u.washington.edu
> > http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
> >
>
> --
> /\aron