A Semipalmated Plover flew off when I arrived at East Bay, Olympia, just
after the 9 am high tide on Sunday. It had been roosting, I think, on gravel
adjacent to the bay and beside Swantown Boatworks. A while later, 2 peeps
took off from the new storm pond south of the boatworks.

Four kingfishers were present along the bay. I had seen 3 a few days ago,
but Rob Saecker reported 4 on the same day, so I was glad to see a "full"
contingent this time. They looked to me like an adult pair with 2
fledglings. Sexing those young kingfishers still baffles me, but I think
they're a male and female.

A single, downy "Glaucous-winged" Gull chick was the only bird on the water,
but its parents were close by -- they divebombed me for walking along the
shoreline trail. The chick is from 1 of 2 piling nests built this year, the
first of which failed early and the second of which appeared ineffectively
tended; I was surprised to see a young one. A Ring-billed Gull was present,
too.

An adult Caspian Tern flew over, followed by a squealing fledgling, the
first hatch-year tern I've noted in Olympia this year... wonder where it's
from.

Several Purple Martin boxes were active; I saw food deliveries and fecal sac
removals at a couple of boxes and regular movement in and out of others.

Stopped at the Farmer's Market afterward for bagels and cherries.

Scott Richardson
Olympia, Washington
salix at halcyon.com
scott at nhmail.com