Made 8+ visits to Budd Inlet's East Bay in March.
The dependable Horned Grebe and Greater Scaup increased in number for
the month, as they do each year. Most of the grebes showed little sign of
alternate plumage until the end of the month, although there's always one
that transforms ahead of the rest.
Violet-green Swallows returned by the 26th, Savannah Sparrows by the
20th. A Snow Bunting visited on the 7th; the species' first time at East Bay
since December 1993/January 1994.
On the 26th, a flock of at least 70 Double-crested Cormorants came into
the bay during a late afternoon low tide, frantically seeking food. Whatever
school of fish they herded in must have been shrinking by the second. The
cormorants put on a synchonized display of serpentine diving. Neighbors
would disappear simultaneously, advance underwater, and resurface,
frequently with bill-length slivers of silver caught between mandibles.
Inevitably, leaders would slip behind the moving flock, so they flapped
heavily over the group in a splashy semi-flight to recover their positions.
The whole flock kept up its diving and leapfrogging for many minutes before
departing.
--
Scott Richardson
NE Seattle
salix at halcyon.com