Des Moines Marina/Saltwater State Park Field Trip (1/23/06) Highlights

We had a good start at the Newcastle Park & Ride with a Townsend's Warbler, both Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, both species of Chickadees, and a flock of Bushtits.

At the Des Moines Marina we were rewarded with two Bald Eagles high in a tree overlooking the marina. In the calm waters were many Surf and White-winged Scoters, both Common and Barrow's Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Mergansers and beautiful Harlequin Ducks, Horned, Red-necked and Western Grebes, and Common Loon. A Great Blue Heron was on the jetty rocks.

At Des Moines Beach Park there were Mallards in the creek and a number of small birds in the brush and trees - Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrow, American Goldfinch, American Crow, and House Sparrow. At a nearby accesss to the Sound south of the marina, we added excellent looks at male and female Black Scoters and also saw our first American Robins and House Finch.

On the road down to Saltwater State Park Steller's Jays were seen. In the water there were more Black Scoters, three species of cormorants - Pelagic, Brandt's and Double-crested. Killdeer and Rock Pigeon were on the beach. Walking back to the campground area we saw Northern Flicker and a Pileated Woodpecker flew over the road and into the trees, giving some of us a brief glimpse of the bird. We had 5 birders and counted 37 species.