Tweeters,

Two years ago, Black Hills Audubon published "East Bay Bird Guide",
written by Scott Richardson and illustrated by Olympia artist Nikki
McClure. It is a wonderful reference about water birds in a largely
urban environment. Scott obtained Glen and Wanda Hoge's counts of
goldeneyes flying over 5th Avenue bridge on their way to roost on
Capitol Lake. These counts indicated that November high counts,
between 3:30 and 5:00 p.m., were between 1200 and 1500 between
1973 and 1987, with the exception of 1985 when the high count was
over 2000 birds. From 1988 through 1991, the count slipped to between
750 to 900. In 1992, the count slipped further to about 400, but rebounded
a bit to 750 in 1993. There, the counts end. Extremely valuable information
to have in print, in my humble opinion.

I was intrigued by these counts because I remember, during my high school
days (early 70's), the incredible passage of goldeneyes over the bridges at
dusk during winter. Of course, I never conducted any kind of systematic
counts and I never wrote anything down.

Last winter I was disappointed at the low numbers of goldeneyes I observed
flying over at dusk later in winter. This year, I decided to do a few counts
during November, the month when the Hoges conducted their counts. Tonight,
between 3:30 and 5:00, I counted 23 goldeneyes. Pretty pitiful.

I did get to see an Eared Grebe in Capitol Lake.

I also watched an adult Bald Eagle perched on a power pole along the Fourth
Avenue bridge. As dusk closed in, the big bird took flight and flapped out
over Capitol Lake. All of the gulls were up off the water before I even
realized that the eagle was on the hunt. There was one slower gull though
and the eagle was on it. Out of nowhere, a second adult Bald Eagle joined
the tail chase. The gull twisted and turned and the two eagles kept pace,
dodging at the gull from above, below and from the side. At one point
as I traced the action through my binoculars, I had the fully lit capitol
building in the background with both eagles and the gull dodging about
in the foreground. I thought I was going to see talons close on doomed gull
at that moment. But, the eagles dropped away and the gull continued to
rock and dart a bit as it beat its retreat. The eagles headed up-drainage,
perhaps to roost along the upper lake somewhere. I was reminded how impressive
Bald Eagles can be, even when they miss.

I would be interested in any observations of concentrated goldeneye roosting,
particularly Barrow's Goldeneyes roosting on fresh water.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife