11:05 start- water level mid on outgoing tide with some mudflats visible
(8:13 high tide - 10.4ft; 15:34 low tide - -0.67ft (minus))
11:32 end

Tweeters,
Mild breeze and temp, and cloudy skies at Turning Basin #3 (TB3). One of
the Hamm Creek Ospreys returned, as with the previous 3 years, on March
31. The other must have arrived sometime over the weekend and both birds
were in the vicinity of the nest next to the power tower on the west
bank of the Duwamish (one on the nest pole, the other on the tower).

The Osprey pair that nested on the crane last year at TB3 will have to
start over when they arrive: the crane boom was dropped last year after
the birds left.

Birds seen during this scan include the following:

Canada Goose (2); note: 2 adults and 4 goslings were in the parking lot
here on Wed last week)
Mallard (3)
Bufflehead (6)
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey (2)
Red-tailed Hawk
Mew Gull (3)
Glaucous-winged Gull (7)
Rock Pigeon (22)
Belted Kingfisher
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee (2)
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren (2)
American Robin (3)
European Starling (3)
Song Sparrow (2)
Red-winged Blackbird
House Sparrow (2)

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. The Quonset hut and dock that were directly across to
the west was torn down last Fall, and restoration begun. 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