Hello Tweets,
I made run down to Edmonds this morning before work despite things still
being a bit early for the "good" birds. I was immediately impressed by
large rafts of Common Murre's floating quite a ways out from Sunset Avenue.
Each group of birds was between 40 and 60 birds and there were quite a few
groups. From the fishing pier I had quite a few more groups. My eventual
conservative estimate was 430 COMU, but the total could have easily been
much higher. The birds did not appear to be feeding, nor did any of the
groups fly.

I also had a group of roughly 7 apparent Ancient Murrelets fly by quite a
ways out from the pier. Size, flight style, and field marks appeared to
rule out anything else. As I was watching them I was alerted to a pair of
calling Black Turnstones which flew right next to the pier. I also had a
small group of Phalaropes (presumed Red-Necked) flying well out from the
pier to end the morning.

The marsh was much more disappointing, with only Killdeer inhabiting the
marsh at low tide.

I spent an above-average amount of time outside my house and was somewhat
surprised to have flyovers of a single Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill,
neither of which I'd expect to see in the lowlands in August.

Josh Adams
Lynnwood, WA
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