Dianna,

As one of your field trip leaders at the Shorebird Festival I'm hurt. Not
really, but I understand your feelings about group field trips. My experience
is they are great to learn new areas to bird in unfamiliar territory, but I
prefer small groups.

For less skilled birders (myself included) a knowledgeable guide (or local)
can really be an asset. I know when I birded the Lower Rio Grand Valley
several years ago by myself I could not identify several (many?) birds that I saw.

As a field trip leader I try to get everyone involved in identifying what we
see and I don't like to use taped or phissing. I just phiss them off anyway.

Funny, but I like to be the first to see new species each year when they
arrive at Nisqually, but that often isn't the case. Perhaps that is because I
move pretty quickly on my Thursday walks that I miss stuff. Oh well, such is
life.

Merry Christmas to all and may all your birds be identifible.

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
scrubjay323 at aol.com
360-459-1499