11:34am start; water level at 8.7ft
11:56am end; couldn't read the marker, but think the water level is dropping

Tweeters,
Cold? Cold! Ice was all along the shoreline today (water level was extremely high at 6am), and my fingers were numb (oh, yeah-I thought I'd tough it out without gloves, which was a big mistake). Paddling among all the Mallards along the bank to the south were two GREEN-WINGED TEAL, the first I've seen here. In addition, and despite the cold, a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD sang from the cattails near the goose exclusion area. The last time I saw this species during my short scans was August 15. A Song Sparrow was also singing close by my observation area, and a Bewick's Wren landed less than a foot away from me, hopped onto the chain-link fence, and headed for the blackberry jungle that's along the bank nearby.

Birds seen during this period include the following:
Gadwall (2)
Mallard (32)(one all-white domestic duck or domestic X Mallard with the majority flock)
Green-winged Teal (2)
Bufflehead (2)
Double-crested Cormorant
Glaucous-winged Gull (5)
Rock Pigeon
American Crow
Bewick's Wren (2)
Song Sparrow (3)

May all your birds be identified,

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