11:59am start; water level very low; almost all mudflat areas exposed
12:32pm end

Tweeters,
For the first time at Turning Basin #3, I saw DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS on the mudflats instead of perched on a piling or in the water. Not really a big deal, but one of the DCCOs was swimming with something in its beak, which I at first took to be a critter, but which turned out to be a branch about the length of the cormorant's neck. It brought the branch onto the shore, facing the other 3 DCCOs (four altogether here), held the stick briefly, then dropped it and started preening. Within about 15 minutes, all the cormorants walked down to the water, taxied, and took off downstream.

Both OSPREYS were on the west power tower when I arrived. Later, one flew to the Hamm Creek nest, and was joined there very briefly by the other bird, which then returned to the tower.

At 12:26pm, all 29 MEW GULLS took off from their loafing spot and circled TB3, calling loudly. I looked around to see if a Bald Eagle had arrived, but was surprised to see the PEREGRINE FALCON coursing through the area. The falcon circled, gained altitude over the Boeing plant, passed by the east power tower, then the west one, and cruised downstream, still gaining height. Most of the gulls returned to the goose-exclusion peninsula from whence they came.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Gadwall (2)
Mallard (3; one drake chased an interloper)
Bufflehead (4; one female)
Common Goldeneye
Double-crested Cormorant (7; 2 in breeding plumage)
Osprey (2)
Red-tailed Hawk (circling to the north of Hamm Creek)
Peregrine Falcon
Mew Gull (29)
Glaucous-winged Gull (4)
Rock Pigeon (22; the PEFA made what appeared to be a half-hearted pass at two of these)
American Crow (9)
Swallows (too far away to ID: many just north of Hamm Creek)
Black-capped Chickadee (2)
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren (heard)
European Starling (15)
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch (2)

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Seattle, WA
mailto:denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com