Date: 1/6/26 2:23 pm From: Julie M Crudele via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] South Africa
Trileigh,
When I was in South Africa I met a guide (Richard Anderson, South African) who was trying out the camp we were staying in. We by happenstance traveled together for a few days, and I found him to be a great guy and an avid birder. He has a company, Anderson Expedition, that has a naturalist and birder on staff. You could check them out and see what they have to offer. If/When I go back to subsaharan Africa they will be who I use. https://www.andersonexpeditions.com<https://www.andersonexpeditions.com/guide/fraser-gear/>
I haven't been to South Africa since 2015, but at the time felt perfectly safe in Sodwana Bay, Cape Town and wine country by ourselves (I was with my mom, so we were two women traveling) and in game reserves with guides. Obviously, a lot can change in 10 years, but I think most reputable tour companies will be honest about the safety situation and make suggestions accordingly. Most countries (and cities) aren't a monolith, and a lot of the risk historically for South Africa has been in townships. Some tourists choose to go to them; we did not for both personal safety and ethical reasons.
I hope you have a fabulous time. I still think of some of the birds I saw there and that was before I considered myself a "birder."
Julie
________________________________
> On 01/03/2026 12:00 PM PST via Tweeters <tweeters...> wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. FOY (Bea Harrison via Tweeters)
> 2. This Year?s Inductee to the 253 Club (Marcus Roening via Tweeters)
> 3. space available for Oaxaca birding trip (David Cook via Tweeters)
> 4. OT: South Africa birding (Trileigh Tucker via Tweeters)
> 5. Re: This Year?s Inductee to the 253 Club
> (Diane Yorgason-Quinn via Tweeters)
> 6. Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2026-01-02
> (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2026 12:16:12 -0800
> From: Bea Harrison via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] FOY
> Message-ID: <48E7BA88-2427-4045-9533-F5A55A125FB5...>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Spotted towhee. First one at our feeder in a while. Eastern WA.
> Bea Harrison
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2026 18:51:42 -0800
> From: Marcus Roening via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] This Year?s Inductee to the 253 Club
> Message-ID: <C84E3B4F-AA68-4E71-9EF5-03969AFB5E83...>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Hi Tweets,
>
> Congratulations to our newest 2025 member of the 253 Club, here in Pierce
> County - Area Code 253. By achieving this lofty mile stone, new members are entitled to a beverage of their choice from yours truly!
>
> Ryan Shaw #253 - finding a Short-tailed Shearwater off of Dune during the massive influx of these wonderful tubenoses into Puget Sound waters. Massive extra credit for achieving this goal while living in Texas!
>
> Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park, continues to be the spot to see pelagic birds from land. With a sweeping view to Des Moines to the Northeast, Commencement Bay to the East and Dalco Passage to the Northwest, it is the #1 eBird Hotspot in Pierce County with 229 species seen. Accessed near Point Ruston, this park was created in 2019. Amazingly, this year tallied all 3 Shearwaters: Short-tailed, Sooty and Manx and a shocking trifecta of Storm-Petrels: Fork-tailed, Leach?s & Wilson?s (the latter under WBRC review).
>
> Unfortunately, the 5 Mile Drive that went around the tip of Point Defiance has
> been closed to cars due to severe erosion of the bluffs, but it is still a wonderful place to bike and walk - now without cars.
>
> New Pierce County Big Year Record ? 246 species by Craig Miller
>
> Special Kudos to Craig, for surpassing Will Brook?s Pierce County record of 243 species, with a final Tundra Swan on Lake Tapps in the last week of the year. I can attest to his many hours out in the field and up in the mountains. The most amazing sighting that I personally witnessed with him was of a White-tailed Ptarmigan off of Panorama Point on Mount Rainier. While it is possible to see ptarmigan right off the trail, it is a rare occurrence, often requiring as many as 6 dedicated trips. Craig had carried his scope all the way up the snow field in June with us and found the bird a 1000 feet below us off of Pebble Creek! Certainly not identifiable with binoculars and an amazing find.
>
> For completeness, here are the prior 253 members as divined by a combination of eBird and WA Birder records. And for those below who?d like to share, let me know your 253th bird and any story you?d like to share.
>
> Patrick Sullivan <2007
> Charlie Wright 2011
> Bruce LaBar 2014
> Marcus Roening 2016 - Cassin?s Auklet
> Ed Pullen 2017
> Mike Charest 2017
> Heather Ballash 2021 - Barred Owl
> Tom Mansfield 2021
> Wayne Sladek 2021
> Peter Wimberger 2021
> Heather Voboril 2022
> Will Brooks 2022
> Bryan Hansen 2023 ? Black-legged Kittiwake
> Scott Saunders 2023 ? Tufted Puffin
> Craig Miller 2023 ? Nazca Booby
> Michael Hobbs 2024 ? Marbled Godwit
> Ryan Shaw 2025 ? Short-tailed Shearwater
>
> Good birding to all in the New Year,
>
> Marcus Roening Tacoma WA, The 253 - Pierce County
>
> Marcus Roening
> Tacoma WA
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2026 18:52:20 -0800
> From: David Cook via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: tweeters <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] space available for Oaxaca birding trip
> Message-ID:
> <CAPM-fG8KrgiegUHk_PZsgLzDByREnqsB46C2Cj_PEUtwbrhrgw...>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> I am organizing a birding trip to Oaxaca, Mexico in March 2026 and we could
> add 1 or 2 more people to our trip. We will be going to locations north,
> south and east of Oaxaca city, but not touring the entire state of Oaxaca.
> It is likely to last 8-10 days.
> If you are interested in possibly joining us, please contact me at my
> personal email, <41cdcook...> and I can provide you with more details.
>
> Dave Cook
> Seattle
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2026 03:24:24 +0000
> From: Trileigh Tucker via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] OT: South Africa birding
> Message-ID:
> <MW4PR04MB734506A07D856F99FBE4D0AFC4B8A...>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
> Hello Tweets,
>
> A friend has invited us to accompany him to South Africa in September. He?s not a birder, but would be willing for us to take some birding days while there. I believe he?s thinking he'll plan things himself rather than hire a tour guide/company. So, a couple of questions for those who?ve been there in recent years:
>
> The State Department has some pretty unnerving risk alerts for SA, which make me wonder whether it?s actually a good destination in current times, or whether it?d be better to wait until it seems safer. If you?ve been there, either on your own or with a tour company, I?d be interested to hear how safe you felt.
>
> In terms of birding, are there companies or guides you would recommend for outings?
>
> Any other thoughts welcome.
>
> Thanks much,
> Trileigh
>
>
>
> Trileigh Tucker
>
> Gw?alali Valley, West Seattle
>
> NaturalPresenceArts.com<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://naturalpresencearts.com/__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!h4Nl4KlPYyud_Edn7hTSOLi6K-a3Dri1bU3yEF0x_cj3F6GSh-YsTfhpgMkd9ERn6A4paQMKTTw0mT0LA6BQNeTmxXlLWJ8$ >
>
> tri@seattleu <dot> edu
>
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2026 03:51:51 +0000
> From: Diane Yorgason-Quinn via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters...>, Marcus Roening
> <marcus...>
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] This Year?s Inductee to the 253 Club
> Message-ID:
> <DS5PPF8C62CDFB056B301FEAFAC763E3CD7C0B8A...>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
> Wow! Nice list and good news!
>
> Now Dune-rs will have to reach 229!
>
> I hope you'll share this at our celebration meeting on Jan 21 at 5:30 to 7 (darn library's restricted hours)! It's only fitting that the originator of the 253 list and one of the early champions should be there. Maybe with a mug for the drink.
>
> Now about Craig, I still don't know him. Could you talk him into coming?
>
> Diane
> ________________________________
> From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of Marcus Roening via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> Sent: Friday, January 2, 2026 6:51 PM
> To: Tweeters <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] This Year?s Inductee to the 253 Club
>
>
> Hi Tweets,
>
> Congratulations to our newest 2025 member of the 253 Club, here in Pierce
> County - Area Code 253. By achieving this lofty mile stone, new members are entitled to a beverage of their choice from yours truly!
>
> Ryan Shaw #253 - finding a Short-tailed Shearwater off of Dune during the massive influx of these wonderful tubenoses into Puget Sound waters. Massive extra credit for achieving this goal while living in Texas!
>
> Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park, continues to be the spot to see pelagic birds from land. With a sweeping view to Des Moines to the Northeast, Commencement Bay to the East and Dalco Passage to the Northwest, it is the #1 eBird Hotspot in Pierce County with 229 species seen. Accessed near Point Ruston, this park was created in 2019. Amazingly, this year tallied all 3 Shearwaters: Short-tailed, Sooty and Manx and a shocking trifecta of Storm-Petrels: Fork-tailed, Leach?s & Wilson?s (the latter under WBRC review).
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, the 5 Mile Drive that went around the tip of Point Defiance has
> been closed to cars due to severe erosion of the bluffs, but it is still a wonderful place to bike and walk - now without cars.
>
>
>
> New Pierce County Big Year Record ? 246 species by Craig Miller
>
>
>
> Special Kudos to Craig, for surpassing Will Brook?s Pierce County record of 243 species, with a final Tundra Swan on Lake Tapps in the last week of the year. I can attest to his many hours out in the field and up in the mountains. The most amazing sighting that I personally witnessed with him was of a White-tailed Ptarmigan off of Panorama Point on Mount Rainier. While it is possible to see ptarmigan right off the trail, it is a rare occurrence, often requiring as many as 6 dedicated trips. Craig had carried his scope all the way up the snow field in June with us and found the bird a 1000 feet below us off of Pebble Creek! Certainly not identifiable with binoculars and an amazing find.
>
> For completeness, here are the prior 253 members as divined by a combination of eBird and WA Birder records. And for those below who?d like to share, let me know your 253th bird and any story you?d like to share.
>
> Patrick Sullivan <2007
> Charlie Wright 2011
> Bruce LaBar 2014
> Marcus Roening 2016 - Cassin?s Auklet
> Ed Pullen 2017
> Mike Charest 2017
> Heather Ballash 2021 - Barred Owl
>
> Tom Mansfield 2021
> Wayne Sladek 2021
> Peter Wimberger 2021
> Heather Voboril 2022
> Will Brooks 2022
>
> Bryan Hansen 2023 ? Black-legged Kittiwake
>
> Scott Saunders 2023 ? Tufted Puffin
>
> Craig Miller 2023 ? Nazca Booby
>
> Michael Hobbs 2024 ? Marbled Godwit
>
> Ryan Shaw 2025 ? Short-tailed Shearwater
>
> Good birding to all in the New Year,
>
> Marcus Roening Tacoma WA, The 253 - Pierce County
>
>
>
> Marcus Roening
> Tacoma WA
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2026 21:58:21 -0800
> From: Michael Hobbs via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2026-01-02
> Message-ID:
> <CAPO=BqsqCUZkTHW=Aq_r9AJWQRC-rkiM27AadKsLRd+<zKoFPUQ...>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Tweets - We started the new year with a remarkably nice day. There was
> early morning fog and chill, but the fog lifted. Temps in the 40's and no
> wind. Water levels are dropping and the birding is picking up; several
> species were singing today.
>
> Highlights:
> Greater White-fronted Goose - Five just below the weir
> Three species of goose, after a few weeks of one species or no geese
> at all
> Anna's Hummingbird - Male back in his spot near the windmill
> Wilson's Snipe - Three giving good looks below the weir
> Horned Grebe - Two, closer than usual to the Viewing Platform
> Downy Woodpecker - Quite a few sightings, good looks
> Merlin - One flew west just north of the Viewing Mound
> White-throated Sparrow - Two? Four?
>
> We had two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS immediately south of the Dog Meadow.
> Then 2+ hours later, and 100 yards away across the river, I had two again
> behind the Rowing Club boathouse. Same birds found twice or four??? Hard
> to decide.
>
> I don't have my cheat sheet with me, so no official list of "Misses"
> (Species seen on 50% or more years during this week, but not today), but I
> can unreliably report Ring-necked Duck, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser,
> Killdeer,.Bushtit, Pine Siskin, and American Goldfinch as the probable list.
>
> Despite that list of Misses, we did have 52 species to start our 2026 list.
>
> = Michael Hobbs
> = <BirdMarymoor...>
> = https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!h4Nl4KlPYyud_Edn7hTSOLi6K-a3Dri1bU3yEF0x_cj3F6GSh-YsTfhpgMkd9ERn6A4paQMKTTw0mT0LA6BQNeTm8nIPdfI$ > -------------- next part --------------
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>
> Subject: Digest Footer
>
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>
> End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 257, Issue 3
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