Hi Tweets:
Yesterday 3 of us were due to meet at Coulon Park at 9am. On the way there
I drove down S 212th St, turning north on 59th Pl S. I noticed a small
group of Gl-winged Gulls at the corner of S 59th Pl and 212th. I stopped at
Boeing Pond on S 59th Pl and saw an adult Green Heron fly across the main
pond. On Sun, we saw the Say's Phoebe along the fence going in from the
road closed signs on 62nd Ave.
At Coulon at 9am, there were almost no gulls anymore, except for a small
flock of Mew Gulls on the logboom at the sail boat basin, and a small flock
of Western Grebes out in the water. At duck island in Coulon Park by the
kiddy play area, there were a few Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warblers in the
trees and a large flock of Common Mergansers on the water to the west. We
could see only a few Gl-winged Gulls over at the Cedar River outlet.
We drove in showers and rain over to the Black River Riparian Forest
heronry, taking Grady Way, to Oaksdale and parked on Monster Rd turnout.
There were a lot of Great Blue Herons on the many nests, and a quick count
by Brian Bell was 122 herons! The trees have not leafed out yet, and
viewing is spectacular. The usual dabbling ducks were there, and also 2
Greater Scaup which I had not seen in that area before.
>From there we took Interurban Ave north to the Tukwila gull site, located on
the Green River near Gateway Ave. I know this area as Boeing Employees
Credit Union. If you are on I-5, it's off of Interurban Ave in Tukwila just
north of where I-5 does the big curve down and over the Green River. There
were no gulls on the river at about 10:30am. There were no gulls flying or
on the nearby roofs of Yellow Trucking Co. Then a few Gl-w Gulls flew in,
and 2 THAYER'S GULLS. Nice to see those bird so late in the gull season.
Carol Stoner was there and she told us that at this bend in the Green River
by Boeing Employees Credit Union, there is a field across the river which
used to contain a barn and a dairy. This area is now being planted, and a
salmon enhancement area is being created. This might explain gulls and
cormorants and other birds which are in the area.
I think our exciting gull season is about over. Until next winter...
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines, WA
linusq at att.net