Subject: 07-20-98 8PM Shorebird Alert, Des Moines, WA, Marina
Date: Jul 20 21:35:40 1998
From: Maureen Ellis - me2 at u.washington.edu


It being such a balmy, clear, inviting evening, I strolled down to the
Marina on spur of the moment, not so many people because the north entry
gate/parking areas are closed to car traffic in order to set up
the Waterland booths, concessions and rides. (Blatant plug: The Des
Moines, WA, Waterland Festival will be held at the Marina July 22-26.
Ya'll come!)

Actually, there WERE mobs people at the south end of the Marina, but
that is also where the shorebirds were! I walked down past Anthony's
Restaurant and spotted some motion on the small rocky, muddy "beach"
just between the Yacht Club boat ramp and the black rock jetty. Eating
away at the mud goodies were two WESTERN sandpipers, one in fresh plumage
with a lot of rusty and the other in fainter, more wintery feathering.

AND, conveniently a bit larger than the sandpipers---made for a good study
of the two species, was a beautiful SEMI-PALMATED plover. The long rays
of the setting sun on these birds really high-lighted every fieldmark.
Western sandpipers may be seen in our area occasionally, but the
Semi-palmated plover is the first Marina sighting I can document during my
4.5 years of surveying. Any one else in the mid to south Sound coastline
know of the frequency of this species along our beaches?

Also, while I was gawking at the shorebirds, a female BELTED kingfisher
popped up briefly from the Sound side of the jetty. It has been since
Nov, 1997, that I have seen kingfishers at the Marina. Hopefully, they
will renew residency.

Just in case we might be having a major migration event, I also
surveyed the larger beach areas north of the Marina, fishing pier, and
Beach Park. Several KILLDEER were foraging there along with growing
numbers of immature GLAUCOUS-WINGED gulls, but no peeps or other plovers.

Serendipitously and definitely 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."
-Carl Sagan-