Three or four years ago I started noticing Black-capped Chickadees in the
trees down in Pioneer Square, and a couple years after that, Bushtits. Now we
have American Robins! I've worked in the PSq area for over 18 years, and
birds other than starlings, pigeons, House Sparrows, and gulls are definitely
a recent phenomenon.

Both the chickadees and robins have started to sing. Whether it's due to
habitat destruction elsewhere or the number of roof gardens in the area, I
really enjoy hearing more birdsong when I'm walking to the office from the
ferry terminal and am out and about at lunchtime.

With any luck--and if they haven't been driven away by starlings--the
Violet-green Swallows will be back in a few weeks. They usually spend time in
the morning crusing around above the sinking ship parking garage.

Good birding,
Mary

Mary E. Klein
Bremerton WA
mailto:cellobird at seanet.com