Hey tweets, the CUH is in the process of constructing an information
kiosk at the east entrance of Wahkiakum Lane. At my suggestion, they
have agreed to include a white board, protected by a locked glass case
(locked to avoid graffiti of questionable taste). I have agreed to be
the postmaster, in effect, posting recent sightings and the various
doings of the birds and other critters at the Fill.

We think this white board will help everyone find more birds, but we
also hope it will help build a strong community of folks who love the
Fill. I am asking all of you to let me know your sightings, so I can
post them (once the project is built!). Photographers: if you can
print out a paper copy of a great shot of birds, I'd love to post that
as well, with appropriate credit, of course. I think it would be a lot
of fun for people to see some of your great photography, either of
rarities or the usual suspects. Thousands of people use the Fill every
year, and most of them are not birders. Wouldn't it be great to
introduce them to nature in this way?

Unfortunately, given the troublous times we live in, the CUH has run
out of money midway through the process. They got partial funding from
the Seattle Foundation, but that was not sufficient for the whole
project. They have enough to complete new signage and most of the
kiosk itself, but not enough for the white board and protective case.
They estimate that the remaining expenses will run to about $1,000.

I wonder if there are 100 people out there who would be able and
willing to donate $10 to make this dream come true?

If you are interested in helping, you can make checks payable to UW
Botanic Gardens, with a memo line that says: For the Fill white board.
You can mail the checks to:
Wendy Kelley
University of Washington Botanic Gardens
UW
Box 354115
Seattle, WA 98195

By the way, I *almost* decided to stay home today and toast my toes by
the heater. But I remembered Brett Wolfe telling me that he wanted to
see the Fill in every season, in every kind of weather. So why not go
in the rain? I'm so glad I did because a DUNLIN in breeding plumage
was feeding on Shoveler's Pond (thanks to my birder friends for
dragging me over to see it!). A young beginning birder was passing by
as we were gazing at this lovely creature, and when we put her onto
it, she just said, "Ohhhh." We knew the feeling. - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com


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