Subject: Seattle Waterfronts
Date: Dec 27 09:53:07 2002
From: Paul Webster - paul.webster at attbi.com


Barbara and I had lunch at Leshi today and afterwards spent a few
minutes checking out the birds from Leshi Park south to Coleman Park:

Double-crested Cormorant
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Gadwall ? 1 pair at Coleman Park
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Merganser ? 3 females at Coleman Park
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull

On the way home I decided to check out the waterfront in West Seattle.
Working my way south from Duwamish Head I met Dave Swain at Alki Rocks
and we looked over a large gathering of geese, ducks, and some
rockpipers. The latter were on the rocks some 150 yards away but with
binocs we did see Surfbirds and at least one Black Turnstone. We saw
what Dave had reported on 12/24 to the Washington Birdbox as a Rock
Sandpiper, but Dave said it had been positively identified as a Dunlin.
Still, the seaweed-covered rocky habitat -- to say nothing of the pebbly
shore -- made a Rock Sandpiper more likely. Dave left, and I tried going
south to the West Point Apartments to get a better look at the "Dunlin"
from a different angle, but without my spotting scope I just couldn?t be
sure. I did see two Harlequin Ducks and about a dozen Surf Scoters
there, though. 27 total species for the short trip.

Red-necked Grebe ? 1 near Duwamish Head
Horned Grebe ? 5 south of Duwamish Head
Double-crested Cormorant ? at least 20 fishing off Duwamish Head
Brant ? c 40 in surf just south of Alki Point [Alki Rocks]
Bufflehead
Harlequin Duck ? 2 at Alki Rocks
Surf Scoter ? 6 at Alki Rocks
Barrow's Goldeneye ? c 20 from Duwamish Head to Alki Rocks
Red-breasted Merganser ? 2 females at Duwamish Head, at least 2 at Alki
Rocks
Great Blue Heron ? 1 on Alki Rocks
Black Turnstone ? at least 1 at Alki Rocks
Surfbird ? 3 at Duwamish Head, c. 12 at Alki Rocks
Rock Sandpiper (?) ? at Alki Rocks
Rock Dove
American Crow
European Starling
House Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow ? 12 at Duwamish Head

Paul Webster
Seattle
paul.webster at attbi.com