Caspian Terns are a regular breeder in large numbers on spoil beds in the Columbia River and in lesser numbers in Eastern Washington, in the Potholes and a few other sites. There has apparently been considerable disruption to the Columbia Tern Colonies recently as they feed on young salmon.Traditionally, I believe, Caspian Terns have been a mid or late summer visitor around Puget Sound. So I was quite struck by seeing a Caspian Tern on the beach at West Point on what seemed the very early date of April 8,2009. A survey of Tweeters reports for the last few years shows that the terns have arrived in small numbers in late April, being apparent at Everett, Bellingham and Bremerton. However, this May both Brian Meilleur and I have often seen the terns with fish in their bills heading south across Elliott Bay. Ruth Taylor saw 150-200 Caspians at Harbor Island 05/06/09, while Don McVay reported 40-50 Caspians on mud-flats at Smith Cove in Magnolia 05/11/09, though they were not breeding. A few were reported on a roof near Pier 91. In conversation, Penny Rose, one of the naturalists at Discovery Park, told me that she had seen, a couple of years ago, perhaps over 100 Caspian Terns nesting on a roof near Harbor Island under the old bridge to West Seattle, together with Glaucous-winged Gulls. Thus they have been a breeding species in Seattle for perhaps several years and it seems probable that they will continue to be an opportunistic breeder, perhaps with their numbers and the number of sites that they use continuing to grow. DH
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David Hutchinson, Owner
Flora & Fauna: Nature Books
Discovery Gardens: Native Plants
3212 W.Government Way
Seattle,WA.98199
http://www.ffbooks.net/
206-623-4727



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