Hi Kevin and Tweeters,

That is very interesting information. How often is the bridge inspected? The gist of the article seems to be that the Pelagic Cormorants were a big surprise. (As in there has been no previous history of them nesting here.) It makes me want to go and check this out!

Kathy


"Li, Kevin" <Kevin.Li at METROKC.GOV> wrote:
From the Bremerton Sun:

http://www.thesunlink.com/redesign/2003-07-15/local/202875.shtml

BIRDS IN THE NEST MEAN PAINTERS GET A REST

Sun Staff

July 15, 2003

This painting delay is for the birds.
Bremerton's Warren Avenue Bridge was scheduled for a $630,000 maintenance paint job this month, as soon as a mating pair of peregrine falcons left their nest.

So when state Department of Transportation environmental engineers peaked under the bridge to check on the peregrines recently, they found more than they bargained for: 264 nesting pairs of pelagic cormorants and their young offspring.

Pelagic cormorants are black seabirds that live along cliffs from Alaska to Baja California. They build nests of sticks, moss, seaweed and grass, cemented to the side of cliffs with their droppings.

According to environmental experts, the presence of the falcons might have contributed to making the bridge a desirable nesting choice for the cormorants. The peregrines tend to discourage eagles, a cormorant predator.

Cormorants are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

"We are delaying our project to allow the birds to finish out nesting this year," said Amity Trowbridge, project engineer. "This may not seem like a big deal, but this is one of the larger colonies of nesting pelagic cormorants in Washington, and they are living on the bridge."


Kevin Li
kdli at msn.com
Ballard, USA

<<TheSunLink.com.url>>

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