There were two Bald Eagles at the Ballard Locks this morning, about
11:15. The first, an adult flew over the locks west to east, then veered
ENE (going to Green Lake?) the second, spotted about 30 seconds later
was circling just west of the locks, with the circles moving north. it
looked like an adult, but I'm not 100% sure it was fully mature. The
locks are about a mile from the Discovery park nest, for those who don't
know the area.

There was a cormorant at the locks this morning with white "whiskers".
Otherwise it appeared to be a normal DCCO. The white whiskers ran from
the eye to the top of the head. They looked like the picture of Brandt's
Cormorant on the Audubon CD but higher, and it had the standard orange
face of the Double Crested. Brian the fish guy saw it last week, today
was my first sighting. ?

Also present is a alternate plumage Red-necked Grebe and the largest
flock of Barrow's Goldeneyes I've ever seen there, at least 70. The flock
that winters there varies from 16 to 20 something, should I suspect a
migratory flock?

The big excitement of the morning was a Sea Lion catching a Steelhead.
The fisheries/Trout Unlimited folks were running all over with explosives
in their hands trying to get close enough to chase it away. They still
hadn't succeeded when I left. The steelhead run is quite small this year,
but thankfully the Sea Lions are too.


=========================
Cliff Drake
(Ballard) Seattle, WA 98107
birder at juno.com

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