Subject: Purple Martins
Date: May 12 21:36:24 2002
From: Kevin Li - kdli at msn.com


During Sunday's low tide I walked south along the beach from Marina Park in Edmonds, where there are 5 purple martin boxes that I installed nearly two years ago. Today was the first time I've ever seen martin activity there; two martins flew from the boxes around 1pm. The pilings are in the intertidal, the bases at a tidal elevation of about zero; the spot is about halfway between Point Edwards and Point Wells. I sometimes refer to it as Deer Creek beach. It's accessible only at low tide or by boat. Other highlights included 2 marbled murrelets, caspian terns, and warm sunny weather.

During this evening's high tide I paddled my sea kayak on the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay; at Jack Block access (terminal 5) I was pleased to find at least 2 adult male purple martins, and at least two females. There may have been one more. In the west channel of the river by Harbor Island there was one marbled murrelet.

At Kellogg Island I found 4 purple martins among the gourds and Rich Siegrist's nest boxes. Considering how cool this spring has been, I'm quite surprised at how many martins I've seen in the area so early in May. They usually trickle in until late June or even mid July.

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA
kdli at msn.com