Hi All,

My parents in law are in town escaping from recently rain-soaked New Mexico (hooray!!!) so this evening (Monday) we decided to take them to Seattle?s Number one summer tourist attraction: The Purple Martin Air Show at Jack Block Park!

We arrived at perhaps 7:30, when there were still a few direct rays from the sun hitting Jack Block. (To get there we took the West Seattle Bridge and then the exit to Avalon Way. After about a mile on Avalon Way, which becomes Alki later, there is a sign and a driveway on the right for Jack Block Park, a Port of Seattle property. If you pass Salty?s Restaurant you?ve gone too far). But it was windy as usual and we only saw two Martins out sitting on a gourd and overhead.

Then the reverberating call of Martins started coming from way high in the sky, and the air show began as a one squadron came in for the evening. We don?t know how many, but at one point we counted 16, with maybe no adult males. They jetted around for a while, giving us a great show of flying skill, before retiring into various gourds.

As the sun was setting, we needed to get back, and then things got confusing. First another 9 flew in at very high altitudes from the west. Then another 16, and then another 10, but I wouldn?t swear by those numbers. The couple that was still high on the platform (they weren?t birders but we knew them: small city) must have gotten a great show.

I hear the troop won?t be in town forever: Don?t miss the Purple Martin Air Show at Jack Block!

Also, I put up a few more of Kevin Li?s shots on Purple Martins up on the air-show page of my website:


http://www.ednewbold.com/view4.htm


As for the YardBirdRace, it?s a good time for those people who have been posting charismatic yardbirds to enter the race: some of these birds would look impressive on a press release. Entering is also might help Washington Birder magazine, BirdLife International, American Bird Conservancy or your local Audubon chapter.

I?m hoping to do an update soon, but To enter or see the current leaderboard go to


http://www.ednewbold.com/yardbird.htm


Thanks all,
Ed Newbold residential Seattle, ednewbold1 at yahoo.com








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