With respect to shorebirds, Edmonds marsh has been producing primarily
Least and Western Sandpipers, with a smattering of Semipalmated
Plovers. There was one day of a couple of Baird's Sandpipers (code 3)
a week ago and there were several Pectoral Sandpipers (code 3) last
Sunday. The resident swallows have already headed south and we are now
seeing pulses of more northern birds moving through. A flock of 30
Barn Swallows spent about five days this week flycatching over the
marsh before moving on. Duck species have picked up with sightings of
Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Hooded Merganser,
American Wigeon, and the ever-present Mallard.

Passerine wavelets have been rolling through the Edmonds Bowl. We have
been seeing Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Townsend's
Warbler. Some Western Tanagers, Warbling Vireos, and at least one
Hammond's Flycatcher have been sighted. The Barn Owl (code 5) has been
seen twice in August that we know of.

On the waterfront, we watched the Heermann's Gulls explode off the
breakwater a few days ago and two of us independently counted about
500. We might expect to see higher numbers as fall progresses and more
of them gather for a southbound push. Fall numbers suggest that
Edmonds is a staging area for this species. The California Gulls
continue to use the roof of the former Waterfront Antique Mall for
rest. They can number between 150 - 200 birds. I have been checking
both sides of the roof from different angles in the parking lot.
Occasionally they are joined by a few Caspian Terns or Glaucous-winged
Gulls, but this is primarily a California Gull gathering. Small
numbers of Marbled Murrelets have been around on occasion and there
was a recent report of an early Ancient Murrelet seen by scope. Other
than that, the waterfront is still pretty quiet.

We are at 168 species for the year.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA