Hi Tweets,

Birding was quiet around the Edmonds Bowl this morning. There were
more sports fishing boats on the Sound than there were birds.
Nonetheless, from the public pier we saw several RHINOCEROS AUKLETS,
one MARBLED MURRELET, and several PIGEON GUILLEMOTS in various stages
of transition to basic plumage. There were also several RED-NECKED
GREBES north of the ferry dock in the area of the dive park along
with one CORMORANT (sp.). The grebes were first-of-season birds for
all of us. Some BARN SWALLOWS flew over the marina and a GREAT BLUE
HERON was perched on one of the pilings with the Purple Martin
gourds. HEERMANN'S GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, CROWS, and ROCK
PIGEONS were also about. All numbers were very low.

A PEREGRINE FALCON was perched high in a Douglas Fir at the Willow
Creek Hatchery. The only other bird in sight was a NORTHERN FLICKER
perched on a lower branch in the same tree and as still as any bird
could be. It never moved until the Peregrine finally flew off into
the Marsh. Along the Point Edwards public path we watched 12 CANADA
GEESE fly in. A number of MALLARDS could be seen in the Marsh's back
ponds. A few AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES were around. At the Marsh itself,
lots of mud was exposed but no shorebird of any species could be
found. Even the resident Killdeer had gone north to the mouth of
Shell Creek. A MARSH WREN, a GREAT BLUE HERON and the BARN SWALLOWS
were about it.

Good birding,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds