Hey tweets, for the first time in my memory, there were more birders
out at the Fill today than joggers and dog-walkers *combined*. Birders
were everywhere, platoons of them, whole classes of them, families of
them, pairs and singles. I'm surprised the weight of our numbers
didn't make a new mud-Atlantis pop up out of the Cove, though I guess
we couldn't really compete against the dozens of 60-foot steel pilings
driven like spikes into the field west of the New Wooden Bridge (the
Athletic Dept.'s attempt to float a track over layers of garbage and
peat).

Most of us were interested in finding the Tufted Duck, which we did.
Unfortunately, he was out in the middle of Union Bay, where you needed
a scope to see him. To compensate, the Barrow's Goldeneye was still up
close and personal in University Slough. He was complemented today by
two male Common Goldeneyes, one in Union Bay, the other off East
Point. Imagine: we had all three members of Bucephala (Common
Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, and Bufflehead) at the Fill at the same
time today. When does *that* ever happen here???

Also on view: 5 (!) Northern Pintail drakes in Yesler Cove; several
Canvasbacks in the lake; Lincoln's Sparrows out and about; two Pacific
Wrens in Yesler Swamp; and the female Pileated Woodpecker rooting
around in the swamp, looking (I hope!) for appropriate sites to start
drilling a nest hole.

One of my favorite ducks (Common Merganser) was patrolling the opening
to Yesler Cove this morning. I have written a confection about him for
you on my blog: www.constancesidles.com - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com
www.constancypress.com
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