11:45 start - water level mid and rising with most mudflats visible
(8:03 low tide - (-)1ft; 15:47 high tide - 9.9ft)
12:35 end

Tweeters,
Clear, blue sky; warm north breeze; and some interesting sights at
Turning Basin #3. More than one "bird of the day" item, so let's get
down to it.

Least Sandpipers - 4 flew right below me, headed downriver, calling.
(May 11 was last sighting.)

Downy Woodpecker - the first this year: a young male (not really red on
the head - more orangey)

Caspian Tern - this one has a growth coming from the right side of the
upper mandible, close to the feather line. I managed to get a photo
(lousy, but viewable digiscope photo), which I forwarded to Dennis
Paulson. (If anyone else wants to see it, I'll gladly send it--I have no
site to post it.) The growth appears to be the same color as the bill,
about 1/4-1/6 the size of the bill, and juts out at a right angle from
the upper mandible, in an upward curve.

Purple Martins - had 3 here on site, with two of them diving into the
hole in the side of the building. I now have a camera permit (thanks to
my manager) and will try to take some photos, but because these swallows
are so doggone quick, it's tough. Perhaps in the early morning might be
better, but the light isn't that good at that time. We'll see.

One of the Hamm Creek (HC) Ospreys took off from the nest platform to
"shadow" a passing Red-tailed Hawk. I haven't seen the HC nestling in
flight as yet, but it must be very close to fledging. Question: If the
HC nestling had its sibling still extant, would fledging be sooner or
later than if it's on its own? // The Oxbow Osprey nestlings appear
to be doing well.

Birds seen during this scan:
Canada Goose (11)
Mallard (27; incl 5 one-half-grown ducklings)
Common Merganser (6; including 5 mostly grown ducklings)
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Osprey (7; including 3 nestlings)
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper (4)
Glaucous-winged Gull (3)
Caspian Tern
Rock Pigeon (25)
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow (5)
Purple Martin (3)
Violet-green Swallow (2)
Bewick's Wren (2; incl one fledgling)
European Starling
Song Sparrow
House Finch (2)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow (13; the most I've seen here)

22 spp today; 47 YTD

May all your birds be identified,

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