Greetings tweetsters,

Sorry for the delay, but here's yesterdays count of the birds on/around
Green Lake, here in the north end of Seattle.
Conditions: rain and 6C/45F.

Interesting to see that plant eaters like coots, wigeons, and geese are all
on shore. Apparently not much in the lake for them. In other years they
would still be feasting on the abundant milfoil. My personal interpretation
is that the heavy cyanobacteria ("blue-green algea") bloom late summer
outcompeted the milfoil for sunlight (during the day) and oxygen (during the
night), causing the milfoil to die back earlier than usual, forcing the
birds out on the grass. Mind you I can't back this up with hard data on
milfoil density in the lake (and of course nobody is monitoring this out
there...). Normally this time of year the coots would still be out on the
lake in force, diving for and coming up with lots of milfoil and the
gadwalls and wigeons hanging around them, stealing (excuse me
"kleptoparasitising") some of the milfoil. Most coots and gadwalls have
left. The wigeons are out on the grass. Curious to see if more diving birds
(scaup, ruddy ducks, etc.) will show up this winter, now that there appears
to be less milfoil to hinder their under water activity. Wait & see.

As usual, where applicable the number before the comma indicates male, after
female. An asterisk indicates a note at the end.

GREBES, PODICIPEDIDAE
pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 11
horned grebe (Podiceps auritus) 2
western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) 1,1
CORMORANTS, PHALACROCORACIDAE
double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 6
HERONS, ARDEIDA
great blue heron (Ardea herodias) 1
WATERFOWL, ANATIDAE
Canada goose (Branta canadensis) 221
domesticated goose 8
gadwall (Anas strepera) 9,8
Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) 1,0*
American wigeon (Anas americana) 82,49
mallard (Anas platyrhinchos) 52,30
northern shoveler (Anas clypeata) 1,2
ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris) 2,1
lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) 2,0
bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 11,7*
common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 1,0
common merganser (Mergus merganser) 4,6
ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 4,3
OSPREY, EAGLES, HAWKS, ACCIPITIDAE
bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1,1 adults*
FALCONS, FALCONIDAE
merlin (Falco columbarius) 1*
RALLIDAE, RAILS
American coot (Fulica americana) 63
GULLS & TERNS, LARIDAE
mew gull (Larus canus) 210
ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) 32
California gull (Larus clifornicus) 4
herring gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Thayer's gull (Larus thayeri) 1
glaucous-winged hybrids 12
glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) 61
PIGEONS & DOVES, COLUMBIDAE
rock dove (Columba livia) 18
KINGFISHERS, ALCEDINIDAE
belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) 1,0
WOODPECKERS, PICIDAE
downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1,1
northern flicker (Colaptus aratus) 1,0
CORVIDS, CORVIDAE
American crow (Corvus brachyrhychos) 48
CHICKADEES, PARIDAE
black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 20
chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 2
BUSHTITS, AEGITHALIDAE
bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 50
NUTHATCHES, SITTIDAE
red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
CREEPERS, CERTHIIDAE
brown creeper (Certhia americana) 1
WRENS, TROGLODYTIDAE
Bewick's wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 1
winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) 1
KINGLETS, REGULIDAE
golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 30
ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) 2
THRUSHES, TURDIDAE
American robin (Turdus migratorius) 21
STARLINGS, STURNIDAE
European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 50
WOOD WARBLERS, PARULIDAE
yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata) 1
SPARROWS, EMBERIZIDAE
song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) 7
BLACKBIRDS & ORIOLES, ICTERIDAE
red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 18
Brewer's blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 11
FINCHES, FRINGILLIDAE
house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 5
American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) 40
OLD WORLD SPARROWS, PASSERIDAE
house sparrow (Passer domesticus) 18

Wigeon: there is one male Eurasian wigeon. Additionally there is one
Eurasian x American wigeon hybrid male. He shows the cream forehead and
grean eyestripe of the American, but the nape is chestnut-red and the flanks
are gray as in Eurasian.

Bufflehead: while there were only 18 buffleheads on the lake on Wednesday,
Thursday morning there were close to 100 of them on the lake. Still some
movement going on.

Bald eagle: looks like the pair is present. Last Saturday during one of the
Green Lake Park Alliance bird walks both were present. One of them brought a
nice long stick to the nest. At least for now they appear to be thinking of
using last year's spot.

Merlin: during the count the bird was perched in a tree along Aurora Avenue.
During Saturday's walk Linda Birman spotted a merlin streaking toward us. It
flew directly overhead (15 m/45 ft) and disappeared between the trees of the
Pitch-n-putt golf course. Nice to see this winter visitor present.

Cheers,
Martin Muller, Seattle
MartinMuller at email.msn.com