Hello tweets,

Just your average NW sunny, balmy January day! Two notable observations:

(1) Horned grebes starting to show "color" indicative of alternate
plumage.
(2) A Spotted sandpiper (seen occasionally here) making its way along the
shoreline south of the Des Moines Yacht Club. What is their incidence of
wintering in the Puget Sound in recent years?

Wintering water bird numbers have still not returned to the pre-storm
levels seen early in November and December. Wigeons have disappeared;
other local birders have seen a fair count on nearby quieter inland lakes.
The ratio of Surf:White-winged scoters is about half and half; in recent
past years the Surf scoters have been our dominant local wintering scoter.
Total numbers were about 125-150 birds, less now after the storms and BIG
water (at least for this area of the Sound.)

Well, I'm ready for the spring migrants!

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."
-Carl Sagan-