Hello Everyone,
The Violet-green Swallows returned early this morning to our area. This
first wave may not be the ones that nest in the surrounds, but they were
making joyful noises at 6:30AM in the 37 degree chill. This is the east
side of Seahurst Park between SW 128th and 136th.

A walk through the forest to the shores of the Sound was as lovely a
spring morning as possible. Salmon berry bushes, white Trillium, and
Skunk Cabbage are all in full bloom. The forest was one grand chorus of
Robins, Varied Thrushes, both Winter and Bewick's Wrens, Dark-eyed
Juncoes, Song Sparrows, Steller's Jays, Northern (Red-shafted) Flickers,
both Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Common Bushtits
(scolding pairs), House Finches, a Pacific-slope ('soo-wheet'
song) Flycatcher, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Seen also were Townsend's
Warbler, Downy Woodpecker, and fresh bark excavations typical of the
Pileated Woodpecker.

On the water near the Seahurst public shore were all three
Scoters---Surf, White-winged and Black, a few of each of the
following: Horned Grebe, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, and the
expected gulls. The real action was in the forest with all the spring
singers.

************************Bainbridge Boat Trip Report*********

Yesterday, I spent a serene Sat on the annual birding-by-boat trip
(George Gerdt's Pandion Nature Tours---he will repeat this same trip
in April) around Bainbridge Island. While, there were no unexpecteds, it
was, as is always, a wonderful opportunity to learn a tad more about
familiar species. I learned that male gulls tend to have longer bills
than female gulls, so males and females may be sorted out in a pair or
even a group.

The Double-crested Cormorant can also have white "filo" feathering (not
just the crests) in alternate plumage, and we found one bird with quite
conspicuous white plumes in a staggered pattern on each side of its head,
unlike what the Nat Geo guide shows. I'd never seen this before in
breeding plumage of the Double-cresteds.........the eastern USA forms
don't seem to have this, but I learned this is found in some western birds
in high breeding plumage. Some of the Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants and
the Grebes were also brightening up and adding patches/tresses.

We gawked at large rafts of Western Grebes and also Pacific Loons on the
west side of the island plus all three Scoters, all five Grebe species
that can be normally found here, Red-throated and Common Loons (many in
near-full alternate feathers), a few Bald Eagles with a good view of their
cooperative hunting behavior on ducks and gulls, a few Harlequin and
Long-tailed (Old Squaw) ducks and other water fowl common this time of the
year. Two flocks of Brant geese were foraging on the near-shore east side
of the island......a search for the rare subspecies revealed only the more
common black form. I also saw a male Ring-necked Pheasant foraging along
the beach while we motored through Agate Passage. It was unusual in this
setting, maybe a pet bird or an escapee from a bird farm? We did not find
any shore birds, but the April trip will probably see a number of them.

Nice day(s), indeed and cheers,
Maureen
*******************************************
Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu U of WA & Burien-Seahurst Park, WA

"Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of
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