Hi Tweets,

After several weeks of being housebound and limited to watching birds
through the windows, it was great to head down to the Edmonds bowl,
even at the persistent 40 degree temps. At least it wasn't raining and
the sun did come out. The minus tide preceding tonight's full moon
kept me down there for much longer than the usual rounds. We started
on the public pier, checked out the Edmonds Marsh, then the Willow
Creek Hatchery and Point Edwards public path. I then went to Sunset
Avenue to scope the water north of the ferry dock and ended up walking
up to the Shell Creek Outlet. Four hours later I finally wandered home.

Birds are thinning out on the water right now although we saw Canada
Geese and Brant, Surf and Black Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers,
Buffleheads, Common and Barrow's Goldeneyes, Mallards, Great Blue
Herons, Red-necked and Horned Grebes, Bald Eagles (2 ad.; 1 juv.),
Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls, and one Belted Kingfisher. The only
alcid was Pigeon Guillemot. We noticed our FOY lone Barn Swallow
flying low along the north part of the marina breakwater. No
shorebirds were seen. Brant numbers are still around 500 or so.

At the Marsh, herons were standing in two of the nests on the south
side but there is no evidence of nesting activity. A Marsh Wren was
singing in the cattails near the main viewing platform. Two Anna's
Hummingbirds and lots of Song Sparrows were seen. Ducks included Green-
winged Teal, Mallard, and Gadwall. A few Red-winged Blackbirds were
singing.

The Hatchery produced a pair of Downys and a male Pileated Woodpecker.
Pairs of Bewick's Wren, Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-crowned
Kinglets, Golden-crowned Sparrows, and Bushtits were there along with
multiple Robins. There is a Bushtit nest on the Woodway side of Pine
Street. I watched the start of nest-building activity about three
weeks ago. It was nice to see it completed and in use this morning by
its construction crew. The only warbler of the morning was a male
Townsend's on the Hatchery side of Pine Street. At Point Edwards there
were a number of Anna's Hummingbirds but still no sign of a Rufous.
Both Goldfinch and House Finch were present. Northern Shovelers were
on the pond at the end of the public path. As we returned along the
path, we heard the distinct song of pugetensis and found this White-
crowned Sparrow in an ornamental tree next to the east swimming pool,
singing its heart out.

Ted Peterson told me that he had seen a Greater Yellowlegs in the
Marsh about a week or so ago. But there has not yet been shorebird
movement. By his records, the first shorebird shows up around April
20th so we are close. There wasn't even a Killdeer in the Marsh this
morning. I kept my eye out at Shell Creek but saw none up there either.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds