Hi Tweets,

It was sunny and 30 degrees when I headed for the Edmonds waterfront
this morning (2-20-10) at 8 a.m. The temperature was up to 50
degrees when I returned home at 10:45. It was brisk and chilly on
the waterfront and a bit more comfortable at the marsh, hatchery, and
Point Edwards. There were lots of Mew Gulls on the Sound, the only
bird there in abundant numbers as the large flock of Dunlin was not
resting on the marina breakwater. The only alcid seen was Pigeon
Guillemot. Birds steadily appeared elsewhere but none in any large
numbers. The Great Blue Herons remain absent from the marsh but I
would expect a return soon for use of the nests along Willow Creek.
Skunk cabbage is emerging at the hatchery and salmonberry was in
bloom at the far end of the Point Edwards path. One wonders if a
male Rufous Hummingbird will be seen soon. There were no Tree
Swallows evident from the path on the north side of the marsh or from
Point Edwards. There seems to be a steady cutting of alder on the
slope below Point Edwards condominiums. This is the slope that Triad
Development illegally clear cut several years back When it was
building the condominiums. I'm sure the city's fines were minimal
compared to the increased value of condos with unobstructed views to
the west and northwest. The current cutting is a tree here and a
tree there. The crowns are also being cut out of pines planted a few
years ago. Well, Puget Sound bluffs erode and collapse. It will be
interesting to watch this over the next several years.

Waterfront

Brant (5)
Canada Goose (4)
Black Scoter (4)
Surf Scoter (36)
Bufflehead (13)
Red-breasted Merganser (5)
Common Goldeneye (2)
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant (6)
Double-crested Cormorant (14)
Bald Eagle (1 ad.)
Glaucous-winged Gull
Mew Gull (150+)
Crow
Rock Pigeon

Marsh

Canada Goose (11)
Mallard (7)
Bald Eagle (1 ad.)
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird (1 male)
Crow
Bushtit (25)
Black-capped Chickadee (4)
Bewick's Wren (1 singing loudly)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Robin
Cedar Waxwing (5)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow (1)
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch (14)

Hatchery/Point Edwards

Mallard (25)
Bufflehead
Northern Shoveler (2)
Great Blue Heron (1 fly-over)
Bald Eagle (1 juv.)
Anna's Hummingbird (1)
Northern Flicker (1)
Crow
Bushtit (2)
Spotted Towhee (1)
Song Sparrow (1)
Red-winged Blackbird (3)
House Finch (2)

Good birding,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds