12:14pm start - Water level low, rising; most mudflats visible
12:40pm end

Tweeters,
A week ago (and subsequently, but not today), a Common Merganser with 4 young was in the area of Turning Basin #3. Today, a Common Merganser with 12 (I counted them at least 6 times to be sure) young took a complete tour+ of TB3. The young probably hatched within the last few days. Entertaining to watch as up to five young were carried on mom's back, while the others attempted to climb aboard. And those little guys can scoot on the water!

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Mallard
Common Merganser (fem. + 12 young)
Double-crested Cormorant (4)
Osprey (3; two were at the Hamm Creek nest, which should hatch the first young sometime this week)
Glaucous-winged Gull (4)
Rock Pigeon (10)
American Crow (28; high count // these birds appear to be unmated (all adults), but not sure)
Violet-green Swallow (2)
Cliff Swallow (2; could have been more // picking up mud from the south mudflat)
Barn Swallow
Bewick's Wren
European Starling (6)
Song Sparrow (2)
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird (2)
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch (4)
American Goldfinch (3)
House Sparrow (3)

May all your birds be identified,

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