Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds marsh and marina update (Mayvember 3, 2012)
Date: May 3 21:38:20 2012
From: Bill Anderson - billandersonbic at yahoo.com


Least sandpipers have been present in the marsh all week.???Wednesday a few of them were in the heart-shaped mud flat just south of the boardwalk? halfway between the?far west (#1) and main (#2) viewing platforms.?? This is the closest you can get to them and remain on dry land.? Thursday afternoon's high tide covered most of the mudflats and forced the sandpipers onto the mudflat in front of the #3 viewing platform.??

Yes, Virginia, there is an Edmonds? rail.? Thursday I finally got photos of?my most recent nemesis bird.? I was hoping?the afternoon's high water would force?them onto?higher ground where I could see one.? That didn't happen, but I saw?one emerge from the cattails?east of?the?#2 viewing platform and walk in the?small?open area between the cattails and the trees which border the paved walkway.? It probably did not think anyone would be out in the rain with a camera.??The?longer I look at my photos,? the more I ?think?a rail?may have been the mystery bird which briefly popped out in front me a couple of winters ago when I hiked down into the marsh from the fish hatchery.

Wednesday there were four marbled murrelets between the marina?and the ferry dock.? Two of them remained there while two others swam south just off the fishing pier.? I hope they were headed back inside the marina, where I?saw them earlier ?this week.?? There were also three harlequin ducks which were feeding along the marina's north breakwater off Olympic Beach.?? They got fairly close to?shore before drifting? out towards the ferry dock. ??Rhinocerous auklets and pigeon guillemots have?been present off the fishing pier.?? Brant continue to congregate off Marina Beach and below Sunset Ave. ???

The two heron nests at the marina?were present Wednesday, but?not Thursday.? I assume the Port of Edmonds tore them out.? The one on the north end was built directly over an electric box and?cables, so I cannot fault the?Port for removing it.? The south one was built on a walkway and did not appear to be interfering with anything.??? I hope this encourages the herons to nest back at the rookery in the marsh.???Although those nests are?literally within bird's eye view of the Pt. Edwards eagle pair, the leaves in the trees do provide some cover.? The nests? at the marina are in the open and the local eagles fly daily patrols over the marina.?? Two years ago I took a?photo of an eagle perched on the outer breakwater directly across from the heron nest on the inner breakwater.??

Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA. USA