Greetings Tweeters,

We have had a relatively decent two months in Edmonds. Birds we have added to our year list include: American White Pelican (code 4), 9-5-2019; Ring-billed Gull (code 3) at Shell Creek beach 9-10-2019; Red-necked Phalarope (code 3) 9-10-2019; Long-tailed Duck (code 3) 9-23-19; Common Tern (code 3) 9-24-2019; Broad-winged Hawk (code 5) 9-29-19 near Chase Lake; Ancient Murrelet (code 2) 10-6-2019; Northern Harrier (code 3) 10-7-2019 in the Pine Ridge neighborhood; Northern Shrike (code 3) 10-10-2019 at Edmonds marsh; Snow Goose (code 3) 10-14-2019 over a south Edmonds neighborhood; American Tree Sparrow (code 5) 10-19-2019 at Edmonds marsh; Tundra Swan (code 4) 10-29-2019 in north Edmonds.

We are at 176 species for the year. A big thanks to all of you who share your Edmonds sightings with me. They really help us develop an accurate year list. The year list is maintained in the bird information display case at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier.

Of interest: A dead Sora (code 5) was found on the pavement near a birder's home in north Edmonds on 8-26-2019. It apparently fell out of the sky on migration. Photos showed no obvious sign of injury. Since it was found dead, it has not been added to our year list. A kettle of twelve Turkey Vultures headed south through Edmonds on 10-1-2019. It was the third Turkey Vulture sighting this year but it was unique because it was a migrating kettle, a very rare sight for Edmonds these days. In the last couple of weeks there has been a return of Surfbirds (code 4) to the marina breakwater.

I recently learned that an October 2018 report of a Slaty-backed Gull on the roof at Haines Wharf Park was approved by the Washington Bird Records Committee. That species, along with American Tree Sparrow, will be added to the 2020 Edmonds checklist, bringing our species total up to 276. But the year still has two months! Hopefully someone will find another new species.

Good birding,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, WA

Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records