Hi Tweets,

I worked on a boston whaler on Lake Sammamish from 10-2:30 today, and saw
about 50 black swifts and 2 caspian terns among the many tree, barn, and
violet green swallows. A boat was definitely helpful for viewing the swifts,
which were almost in constant view for the entire period. These swifts were
often within just a few feet of the boat, offering us excellent views. Their
size seems astonishingly large, having seen the smaller vaux's and white
throated swifts earlier this spring. Today my camera was left at home,
unfortunately.

Early in the day when it was dead calm it seemed we saw them all over the
water, but as light winds developed from the south we saw more swifts to
north and central parts of the lake. Marymoor seemed an unlikely place for
seeing swifts from shore, but Idylwood Park, at the NW part of the lake,
might be a good viewing spot. Two weeks ago I had a similar encounter with
the swifts, although it was raining less today.

Sammamish Slough was active with yellow warblers, cedar waxwings, black
headed grosbeaks, and a green heron, as well as the usual blackbirds, coots,
and others.

No purple martins.

Surface water temperatures were about 18 degrees, and secchi disk
transparency was about 3.5 meters. Thanks to Berni K, who took all the
transparency readings did the water sampling for chlorophyll and nutrients.

Kevin Li
King County Environmental Lab
322 West Ewing St.
Seattle, WA 98119

(206) 684-2344

Visit our Lakes website:
http://splash.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/lakes/index.htm