11:18am start, water low and dropping; mudflats showing everywhere
11:58am end

Tweeters,
Another fine day on the river, highlighted by the first BALD EAGLE actually perching on something at Turning Basin #3, rather than flying by or to the southeast, since the first week of November. It was on one of the pier-pilings across the river, eventually lifting off at 11:54am, flying to the south, then turning northwest and gaining altitude, until I lost sight of it riding a thermal to the west (over the Delridge area of West Seattle). One male COMMON MERGANSER was in company with two females; another male was actively fishing near the power substation, and a third female was preening on the mudflat at the south end of TB#3. A harbor seal roiled the water a couple of times.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Canada Goose (3)
Gadwall (2; pair)
Common Goldeneye (female)
Common Merganser (5)
Double-crested Cormorant (3)
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk (soaring high over Delridge)
Mew Gull (9)
Glaucous-winged Gull (9)
Rock Pigeon (14)
Bewick's Wren (3; two on this side; one singing across the river)
American Robin
European Starling (35)
Song Sparrow (2)
White-crowned Sparrow (heard; further downriver, to the north of my position)
Red-winged Blackbird (2; male singing - female in the base of the cattails near the goose exclusion area)
House Finch (2)
House Sparrow (2)


May all your birds be identified,

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