Subject: [Tweeters] Montlake Fill - Fireworks during nesting - Kestrels
Date: May 1 15:43:58 2006
From: Stewart Wechsler - ecostewart at quidnunc.net


Re: [Tweeters] Montlake Fill - Fireworks display during nesting season!This
is not just about the global population of American Kestrels. It is also
about the excitement of birders seeing a kestrel in an area that is away
from their prime habitat areas. One of the main reasons the Montlake fill
is so important is that it is one of the best places the half a million
people in Seattle can observe birds that they might otherwise have ot travel
far and wide to see (while enriching the oil companies that will take that
money to destroy more habitat).

Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
of plants and animals
-Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
-Botanical Surveys



-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Hobbs
Just one data point I'll throw out. Several years ago (2000) we appeared
to have American Kestrels nesting in a snag at Marymoor. They were seen for
several weeks in May and June entering and leaving a hole in the tree. They
were seen as late as June 28th. Unbeknownst to me, the 4th of July fireworks
were set up to be launched, that year, from within about 50 feet of the base
of that tree. We never saw kestrels there from July 5th onwards.

That is the last time we've had any evidence of kestrels nesting at
Marymoor.

Of course, Marymoor Park is not part of the core breeding grounds for
American Kestrel, so the species is not at risk from losing that area.

But still....
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