Hello Tweets,

If any Puget Sound area Tweeters are looking for a new area to do
some birding in the Greater Seattle area I'd like to suggest the
Cedar River delta. This is a wonderful area tucked between the
Renton Airport on the West and the Renton Boeing plant on the
East. To reach it go East on Airport Way from Rainier Ave N. Fol-
low Airport Way as it curves left and crosses over the Cedar and
becomes Logan Ave N. This road comes to a "T" in about a half mile
when it hits N. 6th St. Dead ahead is an entrance to Boeing but if
you go left the road will take you into the Cedar River Park.

Birding is best at the end of the road where you can park and walk
up on the little hill which overlooks the delta and the S end of Lk.
Washington. A scope helps but isn't vital. There are hordes of gulls
here from August through April. Gulls can also be seen more closely
on a bar just up the river about 200 yds. This is the best spot
to look closely for Herring and Thayer's Gulls which are present
now in small numbers. Also present are Gl.-wgd, Ring-billed, Cal-
ifornia Gulls and Mew Gulls which stream down the river at dusk from
parts unknown.

Other birds usually present are both Goldeneye species (no Common
yet though), Hooded & Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, Canvasback,
Scaup (just arriving), Western & Horned Grebes, Pied-billed Grebes,
etc., etc.

Western grebes and Coots both gather at the S end of the lake in
flocks up to 300 or so birds - quite a contrast between the elegant
Grebes and the comical Coots. There's always a surprise or two for
visitors. i think it's easily the best inland birding spot in South
King County during the winter with the possible exception of the
Kent Ponds which are still rather a mess at this point. If anyone
birds the delta and sees anything of interest I'd love to hear about
it.

Thanks,
Jim Flynn
Renton, WA
bf519 at scn.org