Today (9/19) I was working on a boat in Edmonds, when I heard a vaguely familar bird call. The boat is in a boatyard just across the railroad tracks to the west of the Edmonds Marsh.



Having spent some time in the land of the Scrub Jay ( California and New Mexico) I have heard just enough of their calls as to have a little memory bit in the back of my mind, I guess. But I wasn't quite sure that was what I was hearing for sure.Then the Scrub Jay obliged and flew across the boatyard, over the fence and tracks, and into trees on the south side of the marsh.



I think one of the coolest things about learning sounds of local birds, is that it helps alert you all the more to something new or unusual to your area. The more sounds you know, the more your'e aware of sounds you dont know. "What's that!" you'll think, hearing something different. So that helped me today.



In another exiting episode of "supposed to be working", I could'nt help notice some marsh birds across the tracks. I had a good view because the boat I was working on towered up above the fence. Yesterday the main birds of interest were noisy Killdeers, and also a funny group of Great Blue Herons, six of 'em, bunched together in a fairly small area of short grass just off the boardwalk. They hung out there all day, or at least for the 6 hrs I was there, not moving much. Isn't there some kind of loitering law in Edmonds?



Today the herons were gone, mostly, and the big show was three incredibly frisky Kingfishers. If there's anything noisier than a Kingfisher, it's three Kingfishers. They were rattling about the sky all day, chasing each other, taking short breaks, then chasing each other again. A few swallows have been about both days, some Barn, some unknown (supposed to be working without binoculars). Today, a single Osprey ended the marsh day, headed south.



Taking a short trip across the street after work, I was hankering to see some Heermans Gull's (a regular this time of year on the Edmonds jetties), and I did. I also was reveling in the clear waters of the Edmonds Marina, so unlike the murkier waters of home (Everett). The docks and walkways were crowded with people so I did'nt feel like laying down on the dock and checking out the sea creatures too much.



I did see some flocks of one of my favorite fishes though - the Three- Spined Stickleback. A common small fish (mostly under 3") it is one of those fish that can live in fresh or saltwater. It's a small fish with a lot of character, in my opinion. One cool thing it does is build a nest! When I was a small fry, I had a pond aquarium with a few sticklebacks, and one built a nest, which is basicaly a simple tube made of aquatic plant bits, that lies on the bottom of the 'pond'. The female slips into this loose construction, head and tail sticking out both ends, and lays her eggs. Neato.



Jeff Gibson

supposed to be working in

Edmonds Wa