Subject: DIRECTIONS-Area South of Seatac
Date: Jul 1 09:55:08 2004
From: Lynn Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Tweets:
The area south of SeaTac airport (between Seattle and Tacoma) is DesMoines Creek Park, and it is surrounded by what we locals call "The Buyout". The park is along a ravine by the creek and has always been wooded. The Buyout is a large area that used to have streets and houses that is under the flight path. It was bought out by the Port of Seattle about 15-20? years ago. I think the total area of park and buyout might be near 300 acres. It's an area of mature mixed woods, with a few fields. Lots of blackberries. The creek area is quite pretty right now. I bird part of it because I live near it, and find it to be fairly productive. There is a main trail along DesMoines Creek, and the mountain bikers like a lot of single-track trails that go off from it.
To reach a main trail through the area, travel west from I-5 on S 200th St (exit 151). West of hwy 99, 200th takes a dip down and at the bottom of the hill on the left there is a trailhead w/ parking. This is across the street from Tyee Golf Course. This main trail is 1 1/4 mile long and goes mainly south. Within about 1/3 mile there are a number of side trails. This main trail leads down toward DesMoines. About 1 mile down the trail, there is a bridge on the left over the creek. If you take it up the hill, you come to a fork. Go right to come out to my street which is 15th Ave S. There is a trailhead here. Go left to go up to 18th, another trailhead. Up this fork to the left about 1/2 block was where a Barred Owl family had a nest near the trail this year. They had two young which recently fledged. The owl family has dispersed. Near the top of the trail is where Cassin's Vireos were until about 10 days ago. I am pretty sure they were breeding in here, but cannot prove it. They were calling all spring. Two days ago there were no more Cassin's Vireos, but I could hear a Hutton's Vireo calling many versions of his insistent call. Just above the bridge and near the creek, I have been watching a Band-tailed Pigeon pull sticks off a large fir tree above the trail. It looks like it is making a nest nearby.
If you were to continue down the main trail past the bridge, there is another main trail near the bottom on the right. This goes up some stairs, and takes you to a development w/ mature trees. There is a trail entrance there. We call this area North Hill. This area can be quite birdy, and may have various woodpeckers such as Pileated. Red-tailed Hawks like this whole area.
Back up near the top of the trail by 200th St, come in 1/4 mile. Two years ago I heard really loud Cooper's Hawk fledglings there on 7-15-02. They sounded like super-loud WWPewees, doing a peeerr sound. I haven't located a nest for these hawks this year or last, but hope to go up to that area about that time and listen for begging fledglings. Hope to find some evidence of breeding by Cooper's Hawks. (They make a large stick nest. In our area one was in large alder trees, and the nest was about 30 feet up). There are also Western Wood-Pewees calling so you have to distinguish the two calls.
Here is yet another entrance:
If you want to park and walk into the trails down at DesMoines, park at 216th St and 18th Ave at a car pullout. Walk north on the abandoned road through The Buyout. This is now one of the trails to DesMoines Creek Park. A big field on the left has Willow Flycatchers and Orange-crowned Warblers singing right now. The area to the right has fencing in back of the woods (put there by the Port of Seattle) to keep people out. Planes roar overhead but the birds don't seem to mind. This is a favorite dog-walking area. The birds seem fairly used to people.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines, WA
mailto:linusq at att.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy
To: Tweets
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 6:47 AM
Subject: Area South of Seatac


Hi Tweeters,
I noticed a large parcel of land south of Seatac from the air. It looks like it might be a good birding location because there are no houses, only trees and paths. Does anyone know what that area is? Not sure if the airplanes would scare off the critters though.
Nancy
Renton