Hello, Tweets.

Although I missed the Yakathon, events led me to Seattle yesterday and I
took the opportunity to visit the Montlake Fill. I haven't seen it for a
few years (and the thought crossed my mind that I might very well run into
one of you there in person...). Wow -- what a difference 20 years makes!
Well, I _have_ been there more recently than that, but when I think back to
the barren areas in which rain puddles bubbled with methane (frequently lit
by students with matches, as if they were so many bunsen burners)... And
yes, they could dub the place the "Loostrife Fill." Lots of pulling left,
eh?

At any rate, I enjoyed my walk and experienced 36 species of birds in the
space of a couple hours. I have to mention that because I'm about to go
off-topic. My real reason for posting is to pose a question for those of
you who visit the area more frequently than I:

What is the status of aquatic turtles in Union Bay/Lake Washington?

Years ago I spotted turtles basking on logs near the arboretum, but was
traveling on the floating bridge at the time and had neither the access nor
sufficient interest to pursue species identification. Considering the
elapsed time, I suppose they could have actually been native painted
turtles or even western pond turtles -- though I am all too aware that
either would be a source of great surprise there now. Two years ago I
conducted a pond turtle study in Oregon, and when I met Dan Holland I took
the opportunity to ask his opinion of the Lake Washington turtles. He
didn't have much speculation to offer. Yesterday I sighted a turtle basking
on a log, and got excited enough to rush back to my car for scope and
tripod (the birds allowed such close approach that binoculars were good
enough for them!). As one might guess, it turned out to be a red-eared
slider.

It occurs to me that it would be interesting to do a study of such urban
turtles. Given the propensity for turtles to sprout two long legs and be
"freed" in the most ecologically inappropriate places, what species might
one find in the lakes and ponds of Seattle? How might they fare in habitats
for which they did not evolve? How do they "fit in" in the overall scheme?
Are they successfully reproducing, or just living out their years, with
numbers augmented over time by means of human intervention?

If anyone has ideas, thoughts, suggestions, knowledge, I would appreciate
the input.

Oh, and yes -- birds included three long-billed dowitchers in breeding
plumage; one each of greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, western
sandpiper; and two each of spotted and least sandpipers. And until predator
and prey disppeared underwater without a trace, I watched a pied-billed
grebe attempting to choke down what looked like a bluegill that was several
sizes too large for the bird.

Janet Hardin
Port Townsend, WA
wings at olympus.net