Hello (Narendra's original message at end of email,)

Yes, Seahurst Park on the west side of Burien, WA, is just west of Ambaum
Ave. It is a large, forested coastal park with a quite long Puget Sound
shoreline. Summer is generally very quiet in terms of seabirds and
waterfowl; spring, fall and winter can bring many seasonal or migrating
species: Ducks and scoters and geese, mergansers, grebes, loons, gulls,
alcids, (sometimes) shorebirds and terns.

The summer forest and adjacent areas have Robins, Pileated Woodpecker,
both Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits, Brown
Creepers, Song Sparrows, Red-tail Hawk (one nest,) Sharp-shinned Hawk,
maybe Cooper's Hawk and maybe Merlin (I've seen both here,) Bald Eagle,
maybe Great Blue Heron (just about 100% nesting failure in recent
years,) Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Crows, Steller's Jays, 2-3
species of swallows (Barn, Violet-Green, Cliff), Pacific-slope Flycatcher,
Spotted Towhee, House Finches, Band-tailed Pigeons, possibly-but-not-
certain about both Willow & Olive-sided Flycatchers or Western Wood Peewee
(have heard all these singing in June,) Black-headed Grosbeak, Swainson's
and Hermit's Thrush (possibly), and both Winter and Bewick's
Wrens......all nest here. And the Brown-headed Cowbirds have been seen
lurking and displaying the fascinating combat "dance" that the males
perform to dislodge competitors from tree branches (see Bent's "Life
Histories" for detailed description.)

>From middle to end of July and into August, a lot of juvenile birds have
dispersed, as do many adults. There are surely other small species also
nesting, especially vireos........I'm working on it when can find time.

There are possibly 2 or 3 species of owls that may reside in this forest,
but I cannot confirm yet; two of my condo neigbors report hearing owls
calling before dawn in the past two springs-summers. Western Screech,
Great Horned, Barn?, Barred!?, and the two smaller species, Northern Pigmy
or Northern Saw-Whet are potential candidates.

Many, many passerine species...warblers, tanagers, flycatchers, Red
Crossbills, etc...migrate through in spring and fall. And, Varied Thrushes,
Juncoes, Fox Sparrows, Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes (in milder years),
Goldfinches, plus Townsend's warblers and Pine Siskins---often in large
flocks, Anna's hummers and Cedar Waxwings (not every year) and
what-have-I-forgotten winter here. Yay!

Surveying along the vast network of forest trails on a frequent
basis reveals the natural wonders of this lovely area. I may not see
much either during individual summer afternoon walks, but repeated trips
across seasons indicate that Seahurst Park has an abundance of nesting and
visiting species. As I live directly on the east edge of the park, I can
survey daily from my top floor condo windows and see (across the seasons
most all species) I've listed above. There is surely a lot more here,
too. Oops, a huge flock of Bushtit juveniles just flew by my
window........bumper crop this year.

Question for everybody: Did anyone get down to the Des Moines Marina to
count the Barn Swallow nests under the public loading dock? I just didn't
have time earlier this summer. The Barn Swallows have been declining in
this area over the past 6 years. Seasonal nest numbers at the Des Moines
Marina have dropped from over 70 to 22 to 10......and this year?

Otherwise, enjoy it all!

Maureen
****************************************
Maureen Ellis, PhD, Research Scientist
Toxicology Group at Roos 1, 284A
Lab/Office phone: 206-685-1938
Dept of Environmental Health, Mailstop 354695
School of Public Health and Community Medicine
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115

Personal Financial Analyst
Primerica division of Citigroup, Inc.
VoiceTell: 206-213-7430

E-Mail: me2 at u.washington.edu
****************************************
"Why are we now traveling into space? Why, indeed, did we trouble to look
past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the
unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever
we are."_____Gene Roddenberry

****************************************

On Tue, 15 Aug 2000, narendra bhagwat wrote:

> Hi,
> Could you please provide me with the address of this Seahurst park ? I have
> been to a seahurst park which is located just 5 minutes from 16th AVE
> SW(Ambum Blvd) thru Seahurst Parkway. If its not the same please give me the
> address. I had been there 3 times in summer, but there was nothing!
>
> Thanks,
> Narendra Bhagwat.
> West Seattle.
>
>
> >From: Maureen Ellis <me2 at u.washington.edu>
> >Reply-To: me2 at u.washington.edu
> >To: Robert Flores <rflores at qwksilvr.com>
> >CC: TWEETERS <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> >Subject: Re: Adams Co. birds migrating thru/here on west side, too.
> >Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 17:13:06 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >Black-throated Gray Warblers were in Seahurst Park forest in west Burien,
> >WA, yesterday, Sunday, Aug 13, 00. Birds are definitely on the
> >move. Large groups of Robins are congregating both in Seahurst canopy and
> >have also seen large groups feeding together on U of WA campus lawns.
> >Seems a tad early.
> >Cheers, Maureen
> >****************************************
> >Maureen Ellis, PhD, Research Scientist
> >Toxicology Group at Roos 1, 284A
> >Lab/Office phone: 206-685-1938
> >Dept of Environmental Health, Mailstop 354695
> >School of Public Health and Community Medicine
> >University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115
> >
> >Personal Financial Analyst
> >Primerica division of Citigroup, Inc.
> >VoiceTell: 206-213-7430
> >
> >E-Mail: me2 at u.washington.edu
> >****************************************
> >"Why are we now traveling into space? Why, indeed, did we trouble to look
> >past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the
> >unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever
> >we are."_____Gene Roddenberry
> >
> >On Mon, 14 Aug 2000, Robert Flores wrote:
> >
> > > I had a caliope hummingbird, yellow and wilsons warblers in my yard this
> > > morning so LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOWS.
> > >
> > > Bob Flores
> > > Othello, WA
> > >
> > >
> >
>
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