Weather: The last three days were relatively nice, with one of the days consisting of scattered showers while the other two were relatively clear and in the 60s and low 70s.
Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE
Notes from the day:
While I've been making it to Union Bay weekly, I have been over my head with work this month and have had some difficulties finding time to blog. For this entry only, I've decided to combine my last few trips into this one blog entry.
With many of the common species that were here over the winter (wigeons, buffleheads, shovelers etc.) now gone, or temporarily not present in the area, species counts have been on the low side as of recent. There have however, been many new additions such as the pipits, teals (cinnamon and blue-winged), orange-crowned warblers, yellowthroats, cowbirds and warbling vireos (just to name a few), but the species diversity just isn't as pronounced as it was just a few weeks ago.
I believe that has a lot to do with many of the species here that are nesting and rearing young. The mallard ducklings were the first young spotted here at the Fill and they're really starting to get pretty big. Here is a recent picture of one of the mallard broods pruning themselves with their mother close by.
Just this past Friday, I got my first glimpse of the wood duck ducklings swimming with their mother in the lagoon. Wood duck ducklings are born precocial, meaning they're relatively self sufficient shortly after birth. They hatch in their nest which is usually high up in a tree cavity, and jump to the ground (sometimes 60 feet) when they hear their mother calling to them from a pond or a lake nearby. I've always wanted to witness this happen but I'd imagine that you'd have to be incredibly lucky to experience such an event. Here is a pic of the new family. Notice the ducklings feeding atop the lillies.
The pied-billed grebe female can still be seen on a regular basis out on Southwest Pond, but her brood has become significantly smaller – more than likely they've been predated. Only one remains and it's getting pretty close to the same size as it's mother. You can tell it apart due to the white streaks on it's face, whereas the adult doesn't have any streaks. I wasn't able to get a picture due to the pond being high and the edges overgrown, but maybe I can snap a pic next week if they're swimming a little closer in?
Speaking of predation, I was able to witness a pretty extraordinary event at Wedding Rocks at the very beginning of my day this past Friday. As I approached from the main trail, I heard multiple robin alarms accompanied by a chickadee or two about six feet off of the ground. I snuck into a bush where the robins were alarming to find a Cooper's hawk dining on one of the robin babies. It took flight with the bird in grasp once it saw me and flew into a nearby canopy to finish it's meal in a little more privacy. Alarms are a great way to locate predators - avian, mammalian and reptilian – especially during the nesting season. Since everything is growing so thickly here at Union Bay, it's hard to locate on sight alone, and since the nest provide easy meals for a multitude of species, any kind of loud, rhythmic vocalization coming from any kind of bird is worth an investigation. You'll more than likely find something worthwhile.
The eagles haven't been patrolling the area riding the thermals like they usually do. It makes sense since many of the waterfowl which swam on the lake in dense clusters are now gone. I did however witness a couple of adult eagles hunting over the lake on Friday but I'm not sure what they were targeting. I assume they have been hunting elsewhere the past few weeks – even though their nest is just right across the street.
The Canada geese are beginning to flock together once again. It's amazing how mean they can be to one another while they're nesting and how just a month later, they're best friends again congregating in very large groups. Here is a pic of a flock just past the Turtle Logs. They could be seen just about everywhere this past Friday.
Three band-tailed pigeons took perches right above my head in Yesler Swamp a couple of weeks back. I'm always amazed every time that I see this species how large of a bird they actually are. All of the shrubs and trees are flowering in the swamp, providing an ideal habitat for them. I'm looking forward to observing them in more detail now that they've returned to the area.
Another species which has also arrived along with the berries are the cedar waxwings. I've been seeing them at almost every birding location that I've been at over the past couple of weeks. They're almost always found in groups of varying sizes. Here was one particular that I found near the main trail by the Dime Lot. By far, they are one of the prettiest birds in the region.
The male brewer's blackbird near the helipad was doing a courtship display while perched atop the chain link fence for a female feeding on the ground. She was pretending not to notice, focusing primarily on her feeding, but I'm guessing it was just an act. She was paying full attention for a couple of minutes before she flew off. He continued his display long after she had left, maybe hoping she was watching from afar? Or maybe he was just showing off to me? Regardless, the brewer's blackbird is one of my favorite birds to observe here at Union Bay.
I've heard a Lazuli bunting has been seen as of late and I spotted the blue-winged teal swimming in the slough along canal road just this past Friday. Head on over to the Bay and take a look for yourself. See you next week!
