There was recently an e-mail sent out to all registered participants for the
American Birding Association's convention this year in April in Corpus
Christi that it would be scaled back somewhat in terms of number of vendors
and commercial space, in spite of this being their "big" 40th anniversary
bash. It sounded like the number of people who signed up was less than
anticipated.

Luckily it doesn't cost anything beyond the price of the already-purchased
binoculars to enjoy looking at the birds in the yard.

Diane Yorgason-Quinn
Wauna, WA
Avosetta at hotmail.com



----- Original Message -----
From: Scott Atkinson
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 5:43 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] economy's decline and birding effort


Tweeters:

Hoping I'm not outside the usual posting guidelines but have wondered if
others out there are aware of the economic decline having an impact on
birding. We had about an average number of people for the Everett CBC, but
my sense is if it were to be held now we would have less, given all the
harsh economic news since Jan. 1. Having been laid off myself, I know I for
example wouldn't go...

Had a very probable BLUE JAY fly over of the car along Grove Street in
Marysville Tuesday, Jan. 27. The bird looked paler blue above than
Steller's, and pale below, and appeared to have the outline of a dark collar
on the breast. But I was unable to relocate the bird when I stopped to get
a better look, and heard no jays of either kind.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com