On Friday the 7th, Jean Power and I installed new nest boxes and gourds for
purple martins, at two sites on Seattle's Elliott Bay. At the north end,
just east of pier 91 and NW of Myrtle Edwards Park, we installed 5 gourds
and one cedar nest box on the pilings. Atop one set of pilings we observed a
nest box already in use, a large wooden crate that appears to be inhabited
by Canada geese. Our nest boxes and gourds have geese resistant entrances,
fortunately. The boxes are very close to Seattle Filmworks, which had
suggested the site and has offered to help with monitoring.

At the south end of the bay, just west of the mouth of the Duwamish at Port
of Seattle terminal 5 public access, we put up 2 boxes and 2 gourds on
pilings just offshore. We hope to install more gourds up the Duwamish at
terminals 105 and 107, and also at sites to the north in Ballard and at
Boeing Creek. The two Duwamish sites have boxes from last year, but martin
use has yet to be seen. Rich S. of Vashon Island rowed to Kellogg Island
last year and installed at least 4 cedar boxes; given his success at Tramp
Harbor, our optimism is high. (Rich rowed from a Duwamish west shore access
area, not from Vashon.)

Any observations of avian use of these nest boxes and gourds would be much
appreciated. This may be a great year, with so many more people involved and
seemingly favorable weather conditions. Last year martins were late in
arrival, this year Scott Downes has reported a martin already near Bitter
Lake in North Seattle.

Kevin Li
Seattle, WA
e-mail: kevin.li at metrokc.gov