Subject: 04-20-98 Des Moines Marina, WA.....THEY'RE HERE!
Date: Apr 20 20:35:09 1998
From: Maureen Ellis - me2 at u.washington.edu


With such balmy air and no wind and the huge pebble/algae beach at low
tide, I strolled down to the Marina about 6:15PM. The sky above the
public beach park and the parking areas of the Marina and the jetty itself
and the fishing pier was filled with wheeling and soaring and chittering
VIOLET-GREEN swallows. Some of the these will stay and nest in the
building tops. And even more wonderful, 3 to 5 BARN swallows were
scouting about the public boat launch wharf; these birds can claim the
choicest, underside nesting sites.

There were 3 PIGEON guillemots close to the pier, and two BONEPARTE'S
gulls in fine, crisp plumage were coasting about the interior of the
Marina and along the fishing pier. I had close and leisurely views to
make certain of this species, as some of the more rare dark-headed gull
species have been reported in the NW recently. Unexpectedly, a pair of
RED-NECKED grebes were on the water just west of the end of the fishing
pier, and a late WESTERN grebe was at the extreme south end of the Marina
inside the jetty. We still have a number, though declining, of HORNED
grebes with the total range of plumages exhibited.

Finally, as I trekked up the hill back home, there was a sleek and singing
male BROWN-HEADED cowbird, the first I've seen this season. There are
already lots of Starling and House sparrow nests for the cowbirds to
"share."

Cheers,
Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu Univ of WA and Des Moines, WA
***********************
"Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of
confusion and bamboozle requires vigilance, dedication, and courage."
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