Subject: 09-12-98 AM Des Moines Marina and Beach Park, WA
Date: Sep 12 11:17:52 1998
From: Maureen Ellis - me2 at u.washington.edu


THE WINTER GUYS ARE STARTING TO ARRIVE................
Seen today: 5 HORNED GREBES (all in basic or near-basic plumage,)
and about 75 AMERICAN WIDGEON ducks. As I was walking up Cliff Drive
after my survey, I happened to look back and saw a rapid, frantic rise of
all the ducks: Predator Alert! A quick scan revealed the unexpected, an
OSPREY (rarely seen here.) The Osprey did a fishing dive just off the
south end of the Marina jetty.

And very uncommon for our area was a 2nd (or possibly 3rd)-winter-
plumaged immature HEERMANN'S Gull. While this gull had the distinct
two-toned red bill, it seemed to be too dark to be a fully adult bird.
What a treat to see one here, my favorite gull species. A scattering of
MEW GULLS and BONEPARTE'S GULLS plus a single maybe-100% WESTERN GULL
joined the mishmash of local/visiting Glucous-winged + hybrid birds.

Also of interest was a vast swirling of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, a few CLIFF
SWALLOWS, and a single VAUX'S SWIFT above the Beach Park green commons.
There were dozens of BARN SWALLOWS still here, but mostly at the south end
of the jetty in Yacht Club area; the majority of these were this year's
hatch with few adults.

There was a mini-invasion of at least 9 KILLDEER at the shoreline with the
tide coming in (8:30AM-10:10AM.) A single DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was
seen today, as well as last Thursday (Sept 10, early evening.) The
sub-adult male BELTED KINGFISHER was perched on the "Limited Access
and Gas/Moorage" direction sign (This sign and the first one stating a "No
Wake" speed limit for the waters inside the jetty are favored perches for
local kingfishers.) On Thursday, Sept 10, the adult male and female
kingfishers were flying across the north parking lot toward the L-curve
where South 223rd becomes Cliff Drive. I saw, presumably, this same pair
on the powerlines at that location in past recent days after a
many-months' absence of them.

Finally, our local population of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS can now be seen
almost any time I survey in the bluff trees just north of the Beach Park.
There were even a few of them foraging on the upper beach as the tide was
rising. Noticeably ABSENT today: Robins, Song Sparrows, Chickadees,
Bushtits.....but a single Flicker was spotted and heard at the top of a
very tall snag just east of the Senior Center.

A very nice morning: Bracing north wind, in the high 50's F, low and
heavy coastal clouds, random sunlit spots up and down the coast and across
the Sound. Autumn!

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-