In addition to the usual wonderful cast of characters it's hard to know where to begin but I'll start with the?8 Purple Martins house shopping at the end of East Bay on Marine drive. ?(There were an additional 5 Martins at Boston Harbor earlier and if you want to do close photos that's the place to go because the boxes are very close to the dock.) ?At the Port there were also any number of Violet Green and Tree Swallows mixed with a few Barn Swallows.?Tonight there were 12 Caspian Terns, including two juveniles, fishing the tide turn at North Point by the radio station. ?One Osprey was on the nest platform which is on the tall port light standard across from the Hearth Fire Restaurant, ?Nest building appears to continue but slowly. ?Just at sunset a mixed flock of 150 or so shore birds were working the outgoing tide north of the overlook. ?I didn't have my scope and wasn't fully prepared to ID a gaggle of frantic tiny birds with just bins but I did spot, Western and Least Sandpipers and several very beautiful and obvious Black Belly Plovers. ?I beautiful end to another day in paradise. ??Ray Holden
Olympia, WA

Life is for the birds. ?