Subject: [Tweeters] Montlake Fill Environs
Date: Dec 20 07:47:10 2004
From: Desilvis, Denis J - denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com


Tweeters,
On Sunday, I managed to get in a short (3-hour) CBC scouting trip around
Montlake Fill, Marsh and Foster islands, etc. The weather started with
lots of rain and wind before noon, but ended with pleasant sunshine
starting about 1pm. Highlights included sightings of a lone CANVASBACK,
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, and three pairs of WOOD DUCKS. The latter find came
from a tip from Hal Opperman, who found some at the east end of Foster
Island, on the north side of SR 520. It took some brush-busting to get
to a point on the island to find the one pair that was on a log at the
east end of the vegetation that extends out into Lake Washington. I
counted myself lucky to find those two. However, on the way back to the
Museum of History and Industry parking lot, I found an additional two
pairs of Wood Ducks along the south edge of Marsh Island. (Lots of
diving ducks here, and readily accessible.)

The number of passerine species seemed particularly low, but the rain
and wind during the visit to the Fill was particularly harsh at times.
Let's hope for some calm, even if it rains, on count day!

Birds (46 species) seen during this trip include the following:

Montlake Fill (M) and Marsh-Foster Islands (I)

Canada Goose (MI)
Wood Duck (I)
Gadwall (MI)
American Wigeon (MI)
Mallard (MI)
Northern Shoveler (M)
Green-winged Teal (M)
Canvasback (M)
Ring-necked Duck (MI)
Lesser Scaup (MI)
Bufflehead (MI)
Common Goldeneye (MI)
Barrow's Goldeneye (I - female close the crossover area between Marsh
and Foster Islands)
Hooded Merganser (MI - many near Foster Island)
Common Merganser (I)
Red-breasted Merganser (I)
Ruddy Duck (M)
Pied-billed Grebe (MI)
Western Grebe (I)
Double-crested Cormorant (MI)
Great Blue Heron (MI)
Cooper's Hawk (M - imm.)
American Coot (MI)
Mew Gull (M)
Ring-billed Gull (M)
Glaucous-winged Gull (M)
Rock Pigeon (I)
Belted Kingfisher (I)
Red-breasted Sapsucker (I - on Foster Island)
Downy Woodpecker (I - at least 3 on Foster Island)
Northern Flicker (MI)
American Crow (MI)
Black-capped Chickadee (MI)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (I)
Bushtit (I)
Bewick's Wren (MI)
Marsh Wren (I)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (I)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (MI)
American Robin (MI)
European Starling (MI)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (M)
Song Sparrow (MI)
Lincoln's Sparrow (M)
House Finch (I)
House Sparrow (M)

May all your birds be identified,

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