Hey tweets, a BARRED OWL has been seen frequently in Yesler Swamp (the easternmost part of Montlake Fill) over the past few weeks. It seems completely unfazed by the continuing construction of the boardwalk. It prefers a perch about 40 feet north of Yesler Cove in a low tree that allows for great line of sight. Truly a magnificent creature.

I hope the owl sticks around on its perch for another couple of weeks, in time for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the boardwalk. It's really a party, and you are all invited! Free food, free beer, a Cajun band, and guided walks through Yesler Swamp are all in the offing.

Date: Sept. 21 from 2 to 4 pm.

For details, email me privately.

Here is a poem for you today:

Deep in the swamp
where black trees grow
sits a ghostly owl
with eyes of burning coal
and talons sharp.
She is fierce ?though mostly fluff.

- Connie, Seattle