This evening at the Fill:

4 least sandpipers on the central pond
2 ospreys flying around Union Bay
15 wood ducks in the lilypads at the SE corner - a 'personal best'
3 juv. green herons along the edge of Union Bay between the Fill and
Laurelhurst.

A great blue heron caught the most humungous catfish out on the
lilypads - it took a good 6 or 7 stabs to the head to kill it and just
about as long a time to swallow it. I am not sure how much energy
herons burn but I don't think this bird will need to eat for a few days.

I also noted, to my great amusement, was the series of "Why Mow the
Blackberry" notices that have appeared around the area - no doubt
stimulated by Connie's recent email sent to the Center for Urban
Horticulture and copied to this list. Seems that Seattle Audubon is to
blame for the early mowing of the area which lead to the untimely
demise of two Savannah Sparrow nests and much foraging habitat for the
various birds that used to inhabit the area, tsk, tsk.

The notice also states that the mowing is to control the blackberry but
a cursory search on the Internet yields numerous apparently
authoritative sources that state that mowing is generally not
effective, particularly if it is performed only once or twice a year -
as is currently the practise at the Fill.

Maybe short grass just looks nicer - to a horticulturist's eyes at
least.

Stuart
--
Stuart MacKay, Seattle, WA, USA