Subject: [Tweeters] On the Duwamish - 04-20-2005
Date: Apr 20 12:33:12 2005
From: Desilvis, Denis J - denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com


11:00 start - water level low, with most mudflats visible (9:53 low tide
- 4.2ft; 15:21 high tide - 8.4ft)
11:42 end

Tweeters,
An absolutely astounding, blue-sky-with-light-north-breeze day at
Turning Basin #3. The "astounding" modifier was not for just the day,
but also for the birds, two of which I'd never seen here before.
Highlights include the following:

TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE (new) - I couldn't believe my eyes! This bird
landed about 12 ft away from me on the top of a butterfly bush, and sat
there 25-30 seconds before flying north along the fenceline. At first I
was stunned, then had to mentally flip through my bird ID cards -
totally out of context for here. Great view!
HERMIT THRUSH (new) - I was looking at three garter snakes (critters I'd
not seen here previously, but knew they had to be around) moving around
in the sun just inside the fenceline, when I looked up and saw a
thrush-like silhouette in the interior of the blackberry-vine jungle.
This is where I've seen American Robins foraging, but something about
the bird struck a chord -- too slim, too small. When it moved to an open
spot with some sunlight, I could see it clearly: a Hermit Thrush.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT- I'd seen one before, last Fall, but this bird was
immediately to the right and below me, foraging in the blackberry
jungle.
CASPIAN TERNS - I heard the "squawk," looked across the river, and one
was being harassed by a Glaucous-winged Gull. The tern landed among the
151 Mew Gulls on the mudflat of the restoration peninsula, right next to
another Caspian Tern. They preened for a brief time, then tucked beaks
and went to sleep.
CANADA GEESE with goslings - Two adult geese escorted 4 very small
goslings from the pier across the way to the restoration peninsula.
First goslings I've seen this year.

A harbor seal cruised the east side of the river.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Canada Goose (14; including 4 goslings)
Mallard (6)
Bufflehead (4)
Common Merganser (4)
Double-crested Cormorant (28; 26 of which were foraging together in TB3
- taking two swings around the basin)
Osprey - (2; only the Hamm Creek pair were seen - one ate a small fish
while atop the pier-piling across from me)
Killdeer (2)
Mew Gull (152)
Glaucous-winged Gull (17)
Caspian Tern (2)
Rock Pigeon (22)
Belted Kingfisher (2)
American Crow (6)
Violet-green Swallow (3)
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee (2)
Bewick's Wren
Townsend's Solitaire (I still can't get over this one!)
Hermit Thrush (nor this!)
American Robin
European Starling (3)
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow (3)
Red-winged Blackbird (2)
House Finch (2)

Total species for the year: 39

May all your birds be identified,

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