Tweets,

Yesterday, Spencer H. and I started at Montlake Fill, picking out a couple Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Ruddy Ducks, plus one continuing Barn Swallow. We ran into Louis K., who found a Pacific Wren oddly far up a tree in a vine tangle, Pileated Woodpecker, and Wilson's Snipe all in the thin lands behind the stadium. We were surprised to see only ten or so coots; the few thousand usually and recently present, and many of their attendant wigeon. may have finally been convinced by the regularly hunting eagles to find another place to winter. Where and for how long? This could have impacts on the bay, as those coots eat a lot of non-native aquatic vegetation during their stay.

We made a mid-day check of Seattle University, where we met several other birders, but no one saw an owl. We did see a couple scrub-jays and a Red-breasted Nuthatch, unusual so far from woods.

Spencer and I continued to Discovery Park for an afternoon watch from West Point: one Long-tailed Duck, a few murres, Red-throated and Common Loons, distant Bonaparte's Gulls, one Rhinoceros Auklet, one Pigeon Guillemot, one Eared Grebe close moving south, and about 20 Black-bellied Plovers out over the Sound flying north.

I made a quick 11 p. m. check at Seattle U. -- nothing special.

of 13 January, 2018,

Alan Grenon
Seattle