This morning I had a single MARBLED MURRELET at
Discovery Park, just north of the lighthouse. The
bird was actively fishing and forcing a bait ball up
and out of the water (very cool). This attracted only
casual interest from the GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS who
appear to prefer their meals already dead and lying on
the beach. I had this bird about two weeks ago in the
same spot and had a pair in this spot a year ago. As
a threatened treasure of our dwindling old-growth
forest, I'm curious if others at Discovery Park have
regular sightings. Bring a scope if you want to see
it.

Other birds of note at the beach were 16 RHINOCEROS
AUKLETS with breeding plumes although I could not see
any horns, several GREAT BLUE HERONS likely from the
nearby rookery, 3 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, and numerous
CASPIAN TERNS (who are quite vocal this time of year
over my Queen Anne home in the hours before dawn).
The resident adult male BELTED KINGFISHER was at the
mitigation ponds along north beach only fifteen feet
from the trail; one singing WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW by
the lighthouse and one with its mouth stuffed full of
a tent caterpillar grub (last week I had six STELLARS
JAYS in the tall trees by the lighthouse, a seemingly
odd spot for them, unless they came for the
caterpillars); one singing WILLOW FLYCATCHER at the
gate at the north end of north beach. I also had my
first CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE of the year at the
park and again wonder if other regulars have seen a
decline.

John Bjorkman
Seattle
johnb at prestongates.com



=====
-vicki

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