11:31am start - Water level low and dropping; looks like another low tide today
12:11pm end

Tweeters,
Gorgeous day, and a nice variety of birds at the river, including my first sighting of a WESTERN GREBE at Turning Basin #3. (I noted a WEGR on 3-31-2004, but that was downriver at Hamm Creek.) I first saw the grebe at 8:43am, and it was still in TB3 waters during this scan.

It may be that the local Peregrine Falcon is unmated. Today, the falcon, with partially distended crop, was on the east-bank power tower, perched on the south end of the catwalk. At one point, it walked from the west side of the catwalk to the east side, adjusting its position to align with the shadows. It's been on the tower for nearly 3 hours, and looks as if it's settling in to loaf some more.

The first NORTHERN FLICKER I've seen near my scan site was in a birch tree about 20 feet away.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Canada Goose (7)
Gadwall (2)
Mallard
Western Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Osprey (female on nest; male not seen)
Red-tailed Hawk (on a Douglas-fir on atop Delridge, being dive-bombed by three crows)
Peregrine Falcon
Glaucous-winged Gull (5)
Rock Pigeon (6)
Northern Flicker
American Crow (11)
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow (2)
Bewick's Wren
American Robin
European Starling (4)
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird (3)
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch (3)
American Goldfinch (2)
House Sparrow (2)

May all your birds be identified,

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