On Saturday, an immature Bald eagle was wheeling and soaring above the
Marina and jetty with about 150 mostly Glaucous-winged gulls swirling
along with it, but not too close. A large (perhaps, a female)
Sharp-shinned hawk was flying and soaring about just above 223rd and 6th
South (on bluff directly east of the north/Fishing pier end of the
Marina.) Nothing was flying with the Sharp-shinned; in fact nothing else
was seen flying at all in the vicinity.

On Sunday-sunny, brisk day: Seven BRANT geese were seen feeding near the
shore off the private beach area north of Des Moines Beach Park. A
beautiful-in-alternate-plumage pair of Red-necked grebes were foraging
very close to the fishing pier. A few Western grebe remain, most of these
were in sleeping postures floating amongst the moored boats. Three
Pied-billed grebes, two obviously paired, remain in the Marina; I don't
think this species breeds in salt water, and these should be moving out
any day. We also have a number of Horned grebes lingering, many of these
now have obvious color.

Only about 10% of the wintering populations of Surf and White-winged
scoters remain, but there are still about half of the Barrow's 'n Common
goldeneyes close by. The pair of Gadwalls, uncommon here, seen last
weekend, are here yet with the few American wigeon and the many Mallards.

A couple of Double-crested cormorants in immature plumage continue
roosting on the Marina's double-totem entry, but the mature adults seem to
have left this past week.

FINALLY TODAY, our first SWALLOWS have been spotted, high flying 5-6 Tree
swallows and 1 Northern Rough-winged (this one may be a first spring Tree
swallow instead, but it was smaller than the obvious Tree's.) These are
likely to be passers-by.

A spectacular mature Bald eagle was perched at the top of a conifer in the
small neighborhood within Normandy Park on the north edge of the Des
Moines Beach Park. I surmise this bird to be one of our local nesting
pair.

Direct evidence of other local nesters includes three pairs of
Black-capped chickadees, a Chestnut-backed chickadee couple, and unknown
numbers of Song sparrows, Bewick's wrens, Red-breasted nuthatches, Spotted
towhees, American Robins, House finches, Northern Flickers, American crows
(observed carrying nesting material for all the three hours I was
surveying.) and the other usual species seen everywhere. Conspicuously
absent the last couple of weekend surveys have been the resident Marina
Belted kingfishers. No Common bushtits or Downy woodpeckers have been
seen in Beach Park woodland for quite some time either.

A quite wonderful day; retreated to my condo near noon when Sunday crowds
started arriving (the Brant were feeding undisturbed along the private
beach area where there were no people, and where human trespassers are
strictly controlled as the adjacent public areas become congested and
noisy in good weather. There are trade-offs pro and con with so much of
the Puget Sound coast line off-limits to the general public.............)

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-