Hi Tweets,

High tide and high cloud cover this morning (10-1-11) on the Sound.
Also lots of sailboats are out for the Foulweather Bluff race,
including one really sleek catamaran with gorgeous Oriental-style
dragons painted on it. But I digress. Birds. There were lots of them
out. The best waterfront bird was an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in the
trees near the public pier. The most abundant gull this morning was
BONAPARTE'S, with hundreds of them on the water and on the wing. There
were also MEW, CALIFORNIA, GLAUCOUS-WINGED, and HEERMANN'S GULLS along
with one COMMON TERN. Lots of ducks were flying south but they were on
the Kitsap side and were not identifiable. There were two HARLEQUINS
on the Edmonds side and lots of SURF SCOTERS. Alcids included PIGEON
GUILLEMOT, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and a couple of COMMON MURRES. About 20
WESTERN GREBES could be seen and both PELAGIC and DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS were around. A GREAT BLUE HERON was on a buoy in the dive
park.

High tide meant high water levels in the Marsh since the tide gate has
not yet been closed. Ducks included MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER,
GADWALL, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. There were many KILLDEER and one
WESTERN SANDPIPER taking a snooze among them. Several GREAT BLUE
HERONS were also in the Marsh. Most smaller birds were absent except
for a SONG SPARROW, several HOUSE FINCH, and a few STARLINGS.

Movement looked nil at the Willow Creek Hatchery until a small mixed
feeding flock appeared. It included BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Other
birds of the area around the hatchery and Point Edwards included a RED-
TAILED HAWK, lots of CROWS, a STELLER'S JAY, a couple of ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS, a BELTED KINGFISHER, and several FLICKERS.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds