For Tweeters in the Olympia area, an invitation to attend a bird walk at
East Bay at 10:00 Saturday the 28th.

East Bay offers a winterful of waterbirds. Late October and early November
are when many species arrive at this southern terminus of Puget Sound. I'm a
little panicky, as no goldeneyes or scoters had appeared by Monday, but
Horned Grebes and Hooded Mergansers are among the regulars now. When the
rest of the ducks arrive, East Bay is among the finest places to make
comparisons of three scoter species and the two goldeneyes, often close at
hand in a relatively sheltered location.

This walk is being coordinated under the City of Olympia's Stream Team
project. The intent is to find volunteers interested in monitoring the bird
(and other) life of East Bay and the rest of Budd Inlet. East Bay in
particular is about to undergo a change in appearance. On one hand is the
City's East Bay Enhancement Plan, an attempt to revive some habitat on this
urban waterfront. On the other hand is the Port of Olympia's Budd Inlet Land
Use Plan, which would promote commercial and light industrial development.

Now begins my fourth winter of waterbird censusing at East Bay. I'll post
Tweeters with monthly summaries of our findings.

------------------------
Scott Richardson
NE Seattle
salix at isomedia.com