Fourteen people went on this Eastside Audubon birding trip to the West Seattle shoreline from Salty's Restaurant parking lot to Lincoln Park. It turned out to be a very nice sunny day and wonderful day for birding that resulted in 39 species. At Salty's the Bald Eagle, as usual, was perched above the nest in the big cottonwood tree across the street. In the bay there were HORNED GREBES, RED-NECKED GREBES, one PIGEON GUILLEMOT, CANADA GEESE, a flock of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS flew by. ROCK PIGEONS, EUROPEAN STARLINGS, MEW & GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS were also present.

At the boat launch area there were a number of BARROW'S GOLDENEYES were in the water, a SONG SPARROW and a few HOUSE SPARROWs were in the shrubs on the shore. Further out in the sound there were PELAGIC & BRANDT'S CORMORANTs perched on one of the channel markers. Further north of the boat launch area there were many SURFBIRDs and BLACK TURNSTONEs feeding on the rocks and giving us excellent photo opportunities. From the park at the north end there were SURF SCOTERs, a female HARLEQUIN DUCK, and more of the Surfbirds and Black Turnstones, as well as a harbor seal.

On the west side, south of the lighthouse, there were a large group of SANDERLINGs foraging on the beach and separate group of DUNLIN that were mostly sleeping or preening. Here we saw our only COMMON GOLDENEYE, a few COMMON LOONs and one PACIFIC LOON, some female shaggy-haired RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs, and a pair of Harlequin Ducks. Way out in the middle of the sound was a large raft of WESTERN GREBEs. On a telephone line a HOUSE FINCH was perched.

At Lincoln Park we found a few of the smaller birds in the woods, SPOTTED TOWHEEs, BROWN CREEPERs, GOLDEN- AND RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, STELLER'S JAY, and we heard RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHes. NORTHERN FLICKER, AMERICAN ROBIN & CROW. Down along the beach we heard and then saw two ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDs, plus more of the same waterfowl seen before. Many of us ended the trip with lunch at Spud's along Alki Avenue. A fitting climax to a good morning of birding.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder AT earthlink DOT net