11:26 start - water level low but rising with all mudflats visible (8:58
low tide - (-)0.5ft; 16:59 high tide - 10ft)
12:25 end

Tweeters,
Mostly sunny, light westerly breeze, and just a glorious day at Turning
Basin #3. I only saw one young Osprey at the Hamm Creek nest, but it was
very actively stretching its wings with both adults also at the nest. I
don't know if the other nestling is extant. The two Oxbow Osprey
nestlings are about a month behind in age, but are now clearly visible
above the nest (and in the web-linked camera for all of Boeing to see).
Both adults were at that nest, and stayed put even when another Osprey
(could have been from the other site upriver) came through. Eventually,
the Oxbow male took off toward the northeast, possibly to forage at Lake
Washington, which Ed Schulz says has been occurring with other Ospreys
along the river.

Two days ago a Green Heron flew by early in the morning, and today was a
repeat, but during my scan period. This is a first at TB3 that I've seen
this year (they nested at Hamm Creek last year, and may also have done
so this year).

I only saw one Purple Martin, but hope that the other is sitting on eggs
in the hole-in-the-wall. This PUMA flew up off it's usual perch, and
dove steeply on a crow that flew through. (I've applied for a camera
pass just in case I have the opportunity to document the nest-site in
the side of the building.)

Bird of the day: Peregrine Falcon - I'm departing a bit from the usual
(timewise). This morning, as I was getting stuff out of my truck in the
parking lot at 6:15, I heard a gull loudly making protest calls behind
me. Usually that means a Bald Eagle is nearby, but today was entirely
different! The gull was harrassing a Peregrine Falcon that was carrying
a very recently caught Rock Pigeon. The gull broke off it's harrassment
as the falcon flew north along the river.

Four Canada Geese were inside the goose "exclusion" zone in the new
restoration site directly across the river. They were definitely chowing
down on some of the new vegetation.

A Mallard duck was accompanied by four very small ducklings. Pretty late
in the season.

Note: A pair of Glaucous-winged Gulls may be nesting atop the same
building the Purple Martins seem to be occupying.

Birds seen during this scan:
Canada Goose (17)
Mallard (20, incl. 4 ducklings)
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Osprey (8; incl 3 nestlings)
Killdeer (4)
Glaucous-winged Gull (3)
Rock Pigeon (13)
American Crow (11)
Purple Martin
Violet-green Swallow (2)
Cliff Swallow (several)
Bewick's Wren (2)
European Starling (40, est.)
Song Sparrow (2)
House Finch (2)
American Goldfinch

17 spp today; 46 YTD

May all your birds be identified,

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