Red-necked Grebe Seen without trespassing - from kayak on Yakima County side of Priest Rapids Lake

Red-necked Grebe   Seen without trespassing - from kayak on Yakima County side of Priest Rapids Lake

Early in my Yakima County birding I was told by Andy Stepniewski how to drive to the Yakima side of Priest Rapids Lake via the Yakima Training Center, and that it isn't allowed by the Yakima Training Center Recreational Permit rules, because it's private land owned by Simon Martinez (Cattle Company). Subsequently, when I went there, I specifically asked Range Control if I could go down to the lake shore to look for birds and was given permission. In retrospect, they probably weren't in a position to give me permission to do that. Andy has made it clear, even in emails to birders from outside the county, how to get to that prohibited area, and that any sightings from there should be obscured, and not posted about openly, so as not to get in trouble. Last year he paddled on Priest Rapids Lake to access the Yakima side without trespassing. I thought that laudable, quite the improvement for someone who liked to tell war stories about his past trespasses. Mary & I paddled there to, joined by Ellen & Andy. At one point, after a rest stop on the lake shore, Andy walked on up into a riparian area, asking if the three of us wanted to join him. We did. I regret it, as I was unwittingly joining him in trespassing on the Yakima Training Center, and on Simon Martinez property on the way to the YTC.
Since then Andy said he would survey the Priest Rapids Lake from a canoe for the Yakima Valley Audubon Society spring birdathon fundraiser. It appears he took the low road, once again trespassing on Martinez' property while violating YTC Recreational Use Permit regulations. If so, shame on him, again & again.