While I had intended to go to the WOS meeting tonight, I couldn't resist a
sunbreak and I went to check on Seattle purple martins instead. Jack Block
Park turned out to be chilly and blustery and not very active with martins.
Next I went to Herring's House Park on West Marginal Way and things were a
bit better. I could hear martins to the north, flying around a barge that
was tied up just beyond the park. Across the water on Kellogg Island there
was sporadic martin activity in at least three of the four nest boxes
installed by Rich Siegrist. There are ten gourds now, and at least three of
those showed martin activity. One has a tree swallow nest. Caspian terns,
pigeon guillemots, and common mergansers with chicks were also nearby.

The surprise was just downstream at Terminal 105. About 7 pm I could hear
martins. I looked up and saw at least 25 martins in a kettle, moving
gradually east and west and at varying heights up to perhaps several hundred
feet. At times they moved collectively up and over the greenbelt on the
western shore, then they would drift back over the gourds and boxes at T105.
I never noticed any feeding activity, just a lot of possible socializing, a
bit of vocalizing, and occasional harassment of errant gulls. I've never
seen such a flock in Seattle in the spring, and certainly not for a
prolonged period such as this; they stayed in this sort of kettle for about
an hour, and then about 8pm most of them dropped down and swooped into the
gourds of boxes. At times when they were high up I was reminded of a swarm
of midges, but these were much more fun and they didn't stick in my teeth or
get in my eyes. I estimated that about 8 of the cavities had martins when I
left, and a few more were still flying about. Anyone who was observing the
osprey nest by T-107 this evening was probably witnessing this martin
spectacle as well. And I saw not a single house sparrow or starling in any
of the housing! I've spent many evenings watching martins in Seattle, and
this evening seemed really special. In late July or August when martins
fledge, there may be quite a show as well.

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA