Subject: [Tweeters] San Diego birder visiting Washington
Date: Nov 26 08:13:47 2007
From: Claude Edwards - keps1 at flite-tours.com



Greetings Tweets and happy holidays,

I am preparing for a 2 week visit from San Diego, CA, on my first ever
trip to Washington state, between December 5 and 19. I am a member of
the San Diego Audubon Society and have been birding and leading bird and
nature walks and trips for many years here in southern California.

I enjoy visiting and seeing new and different habitats and environments,
and to a large extent, enjoy birding by sound, although for this trip, I
want to SEE the birds I may encounter. I will be staying with friends in
the Tacoma area and also will be visiting someone who lives up on
Whidbey Island.

I have been reading and learning intently from messages and sightings
posted on Tweeters during the past couple of months in order to learn
about the places local birders are going to, and which bird species are
regularly reported from your areas.

I am keen on looking for and observing the following species of birds
that I have never seen before, and would like to know how likely are my
chances to find them, either on my own or with some local assistance and
company, and with reasonably safe weather and travel conditions.

Although there are various books and published guides available, which I
don't have or own at this time, if you don't mind, I would like to hear
from and receive anyone's responses, using the following categories, and
based on your personal knowledge and experience, on my chances for my
goals bird species - thank you for your consideration!

Low/Difficult, Moderate/Possible, High/Likely, and where would I find
them?

Species ----------------- Likelihood? ----------------- Locations?.
Gray Partridge -
Ruffed Grouse -
Spruce Grouse -
Sooty Grouse -
Dusky Grouse -
White-tailed Ptarmigan -
Trumpeter Swan -
Barrow's Goldeneye -
Rock Sandpiper -
Ancient Murrelet -
Marbled Murrelet -
Pigeon Guillemot -
Barred Owl -
Am Three-toed Woodpecker -
Black-backed Woodpecker -
Pileated Woodpecker -
Gray Jay -
Northwestern Crow -
Bohemian Waxwing -
Snow Bunting -
Gray-crown Rosy-Finch -
Common Redpoll -
Pine Grosbeak -
White-winged Crossbill -

I know I am limited in time and that traveling will be a significant
component of getting to some of these birds' ranges and habitats - such
as those species restricted to the mountains, or to central and eastern
Washington. I will have to make some choices about which places and
species I will be able to make time for. Nonetheless, I am interested in
learning about them. Postings from the Dennys in Walla Walla, Bill
Clemons at the Ridgefield NWR, Michael Hobbs, Khan Tran, Mary Breese,
Gene Hunn, Scott Atkinson, and others, have been very enjoyable to read
and have included some of the birds I seek.

Where possible, I would like to know about individuals and public places
that have feeders or feeding stations, and would very much enjoy and
appreciate some birding company to more efficiently go to places where
my goal species may be found.

Please feel free to respond to me directly, unless your comments and
suggestions would be of assistance and interest to all who participate
on Tweeters, in the same manner that we do here on SDBirds for our local
San Diego birding observations and exchanges.

Thank you very much and I look forward to your help and information.

Claude Edwards, [619] 282-8687