Thursday, September 3, 2015

LATE SUMMER BIRDS AT ALKI

As summer gets ready to leave the scene, sure seems like fall already here, birds are returning to Puget Sound and others are migrating through.  It's also crabbing season, which you might not associate with birds but there is a connection in places.
Crabbers at Duwamish Head Park (Anchor Park) in West Seattle often use turkey drumsticks for bait in their crab traps...and when finished leave the drumsticks on the pier or throw them in the water......these can be messy people.  It's all OK with the local birds who make a good meal of the turkey....it's like Thanksgiving every day.  Birds eating birds.  In addition there is a group of Black Turnstones and Surfbirds that have returned from the north to the rocks at Duwamish Head.  Jack Block Park seems to have some attraction to for a large flock of Steller Jays....a dozen or more birds hanging out at the trail leading up from the parking lot.
A couple of sea lions are back....but harbor seal sightings have be in short supply so far.  Some strange signs also at Jack Block Park, but are they real signs?

Black Turnstone

Surfbird

Surfbird

Gull with turkey drumstick

Gull with turkey drumstick

Great Blue Heron eyeing drumstick

Great Blue Heron

Crow with drumstick


Crow with drumstick

Steller Jay

Steller Jay

Evidently this is not a real sign  Jack Block Park

Steller Jay
With peanut