Maurie, tweets,

Inspired by Maurie's report of so many Bonaparte's at the Everett sewage
ponds I went yesterday, got my permit, and hiked around the big pond. I
estimate 2500 BONAPARTE'S GULLs, almost like it was in the good old days. No
Little Gulls, and lots of variation amongst the Bonies, particularly adult
versus juvenile, though one immature FRANKLIN'S GULL amongst them. Also one
apparently "pure" female AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, remnant of the introduced
population there of years past, and an immature tundra PEREGRINE and a
MERLIN, plus two EARED GREBES, ETC.

Gene Hunn.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Maurie Kirschner" <maurieckirschner at comcast.net>
To: <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 9:21 PM
Subject: everett area 9/20/04


> Hi Tweeters,
>
> I finally made it up to the Everett area to check out the treatment ponds,
> Spencer Island, and the waterfront area. I had to convince my husband
that
> going to treatment ponds would be fun...hehe.
>
> After getting our permit we headed out to the pond trail. We were greated
> by the amuzing ruckus made by 100's (1000's?) of Bonapart Gulls. We
watched
> them while occasionally dodging all the hyper-active Barn Swallows. There
> were American Widgeons, Coots, Mallards, and Northern Shovelers mixed in
> with the gulls. There were a few Mew Gulls and a few Lesser Yellowlegs
> that we kept startling off the edge of the pond. They would fly onto the
> cement wall just off the shore and give us pathetic harrassed looks. We
did
> the same to one Least Sandpiper as well. While watching all of this I
> finally noticed that in amongst all the Bonaparts there were nearly
> identical birds but with bright red-orange legs and a little more marking
on
> the head. After a bunch of looking and relooking in my book I deduced
these
> to be Little Gulls.
> There were quite a few small birds that wouldn't hold still long enough
for
> me to ID them. And then there were the birds I hardly need to see to know
> what they are such as Crows, Starlings, Red-winged Blackbirds, and
Canadian
> Geese.
>
> We then moved on to Spencer Island were we only hiked the Southern Part.
We
> were treated to two Osprey...one making quite a bit of noise. There were
> Robins "chupping" at us as we disturbed them. Black-capped Chicakdees
> chickadeeing. We heard ducks off in the distance but could not see them.
I
> was actually amazed at the height of the brambles and brush which make
> seeing into the marsh mostly impossible on the lower part of the south end
> of the island. We had to turn around and walk back the same way since the
> foot bridge is out on the east side. We wandered down towards the barn
when
> we got back to the entrance, but couldn't go very far due to the trail
being
> flooded. But while standing there I looked up into a snag and was treated
> to a very dark colored Merlin, (possibly the pacific black subspecies?)
>
> We visited the Everett water front next. We were getting hungry so we
didn't
> spend a lot of time. However we did see quite a few Great Blue Herons,
Ring
> Billed Gulls, one Western Grebe, one Red-breasted Merganser, and one
Belted
> King Fisher as a lovely finale.
>
> Happy Birding,
>
> Maurie Kirschner
> Seattle WA
> maurieckirschnerATcomcast.net