Dear Tweeters,

A friend just called to tell me that there's a Black Swan (Australian species)near Kiket Island, which separates Similk Bay from Skagit Bay. This is west of the Swinomish Indian Reservation, and east of Fidalgo Island.

It must be assumed that this bird escaped or was released from confinement here in North America--but it's still a cool bird, if anyone is interested in seeing it or trying to reunite it with its owner.

Kiket Island is part of Deception Pass State Park. However, in order to visit the place, one needs to obtain a permission slip signed by His Holiness the Pope, the Governor of Mississippi, and the President of the South African Rugby Union.

Excuse the sarcasm, but I exaggerate only slightly the arduousness of arranging access to this newly acquired piece of state park land.

Yours truly,
Gary Bletsch


Gary Bletsch?Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA?garybletsch at yahoo.com?"Nun," sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer, miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt' deinen Dienst!"