Hi Everyone,

We ended 2012 with 175 species sightings in Edmonds. We are up to 87
so far this year. One of the earliest great sightings was of the
Ancient Murrelets seen from the ferry and reported by John Puschock.
One of the more interesting duck sightings was of a Common Merganser
drake on the Sound, just off the public pier. All three scoters have
been ticked for the year, as well as the three regular loons. All
three cormorants have been observed. Raptors have included Bald Eagle,
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk. Shorebirds
have been limited to Killdeer, Dunlin, and Sanderlings. Gulls have
included Bonaparte's, Mew, and Glaucous-winged. A Snowy Owl has been
seen on roofs in the Edmonds Bowl. Northern Shrike has been seen at
least once this month, on the east side of the marsh. Red-breasted
Sapsucker and Pileated Woodpecker have been spotted in Yost Park,
where Hutton's Vireo has also been heard. Both Yellow-rumped and
Townsend's Warblers have been seen. White-throated Sparrow has shown
up in one public site and at one birder's back yard feeding station.

The best birds this week have been Red Crossbills and Cedar Waxwings
at Harbor Square, the office complex that covers the north half of the
marsh. Crossbills are seen almost every year in a neighborhood near
the King County line but are rarely seen in the Edmonds Bowl. The
waxwings joined Robins this week to feast on the red berries of a non-
native bush planted along the fence that separates Harbor Square from
the railroad tracks. Numbers have diminished as the berries have been
gobbled up. Today's most interesting sighting was of a lone Trumpeter
Swan (code 4 for Edmonds) seen from Pine Street near the Willow Creek
Hatchery. It was heading south toward Shoreline.

Good birding,

Carol Riddell