Hi all,
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Delia and I punctuated a work day with a quick?trip at 4pm to Herrings House Park on West Marginal Way on the west side of the Duwamish in Seattle to see if there were still any Martins down there, as previously reported on tweeters by Mark Ahlness.
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It was an AIRSHOW!? A Martin putting on the jets to hit an Osprey.??Martins pestering a perched?Kingfisher until he (it was a he) held out his wings Bustard-fashion to say "I'm not leaving."? Barn Swallows were?zipping up and down the river,?while 3 or 4?Martins were flying high and way higher over the river at most moments.?
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We are very un-expert observers but it?seems like?fledging has yet to occur.? We didn't see aerial feeding or?aerial-incompetence(!).? With a?good number?of nests being tended to (we don't have a number, it would take some serious watching), this is going to be the?best spectacle?available in Seattle?for over a week for sure.?
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Also present were Spotted Sandpipers which seemed to have had nesting success there, Killdeer and 24 Common Mergansers who were all?napping at one point.? In?our experience?the?hunting?Great Blue Heron was unusual there but missing, unfortunately, were any Caspian Terns.
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Thanks all and especially a big THANK YOU to?whoever is tending the gourds and houses, they appear to be in great condition,
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Ed Newbold?? ednewbold1 at yahoo.com? Beacon Hill, Seattle
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Also