Subject: [Tweeters] On the Duwamish - 01-05-2005
Date: Jan 5 14:31:27 2005
From: Desilvis, Denis J - denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com


12:50 start - water level high, but outgoing tide (11:13 high - 11.5ft);
no mudflats visible
13:18 end

Tweeters,
High water, ice in the stormwater channel and in the restoration area,
with a clear, cold (that's redundant, isn't it) day at Turning Basin #3
(TB3). Back again after a Boeing-break hiatus, I scoped the area and
came up with some nice birds to start the year here at the edge of the
Duwamish. The domestic goose is still here, begging for handouts as it
patrols on the river below the Boeing facility at the southeast end of
TB3. Here, too, are BELTED KINGFISHERS interacting, and three male
divers: COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, and COMMON MERGANSER. A dog and
his master were on the restoration peninsula, with the former taking to
the water (brrrrr!) for a swim. For a short time, a BALD EAGLE was in a
deciduous tree near the west side of the Boeing bridge (see feature
description below). Six KILLDEER flew over - the first of this species
seen for quite a while.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:
Domestic goose
Gadwall (6)
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser (2)
Double-crested Cormorant (4)
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer (6)
Glaucous-winged Gull (6)
Rock Pigeon (78)
Belted Kingfisher (2)
Bewick's Wren
European Starling (55)
House Finch (3)

For those unacquainted with this part of the Seattle area: TB3 is
located at the furthest navigible point on the Duwamish River, about 5
miles upstream from Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle. The Duwamish, a
tidal river, flows sorta south/north, but takes a slight west bend, then
north, and widens considerably at TB3. Features around the basin include
the following: At the east end of TB3 is what I call the Boeing bridge
(as opposed to the "real" but small bridge to the south that's open to
public traffic). The Boeing bridge is short, with a covered walkway, and
leads from a Boeing parking lot on the west side of the river to the
main Boeing facility known as the Developmental Center, or "DC." The
south end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) is to the
east; the main traffic arterial is East Marginal Way. The Museum of
Flight is directly across from the main entrance to the DC.

Along the east side of the basin is a parking lot that extends well to
the north, with office buildings set back. The parking lot is bordered
by a chain-link fence, with barbed wire atop. On the riverbank, between
the fence and the river, is a tangle of blackberry vines, with some
butterfly bush shrubs thrown in.

Across the basin to the southwest from my viewing spot is an area that's
under restoration. It's a peninsula, with a stormwater drainage channel
at the south side. Along the west side of TB3 is an extension of the
restoration area, a dock (with an abandoned-but-sometimes-used Quonset
hut to the west), and more tangles of blackberries, etc. Continuing
north along the west of the river are two prominent features: a power
substation and a large, tall, power tower ("west-bank" or "Hamm Creek"
power tower). Further north is Hamm Creek, which is also being restored.
A large pole with a platform and a winter-dormant Osprey nest is located
just north of the power tower.

Crossing the river are power lines that lead to the "east-bank" power
tower. From my viewpoints, I can see some of the river to the
west/north, almost to the south edge of the power substation; and also
the east-bank power tower.

The water level at TB3 transitions about 11ft between high and low
tides. In summer, the tides generally are lower, with more mudflats
exposed at low tide. In winter, the water level is consistently higher.

If you have questions about this area, please contact me directly.

May all your birds be identified,

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