From deep inside the CASCADIA BIOREGION
BIRDERCENTRAL.COM |
BirderCentral.com
was created to provide information about Totem Lake - a little known urban
birding gem located in Kirkland, WA on Seattle's Eastside. Totem Lake
is a 27 acre wetland
with an extensive bird population, easy paved trails
and a boardwalk with great views of the
lake and surrounding marsh. You'll
also find a few observations and photos from
birding trips in other
birding hotspots on the West Coast.
When
we enjoy a place like Totem Lake and keep records of what
we see, we have a
much better chance of protecting it for the future.
Remember - habitat
loss is the greatest pressure on wildlife
throughout the world. Protecting
habitat today is much easier
and less costly than restoring it in the future.
Totem
Lake is adjacent to the Totem Lake Shopping Center on |
Check
out our links, photos, Totem Lake Bird list and birding notes
below.
If you have photos of Totem Lake or other local spots you would like
to share, please contact
Bob.
Tree
fungus at the lake July 10, 2011 and May 2012. |
A Puget Sound Garter Snake rests under the fungus. Sept. 2, 2011 |
The Purple Loosestrife is pretty but needs to go. 09/02/11 |
Where To Go |
What's New |
Seattle's
Eastside Audubon Favorite
California Non Profit Nice
Bird Biology Home Great
VALUE in Binocs Great
VALUE in Spotting Scopes Essential
Field Guide Protect
your birds! Don't
forget to set your FRS Comments
about or |
A
VERY
RARE
VISITOR! Long-eared
Owl at Totem Lake, Kirkland, WA. 11/27/09 Totem
Lake Bird Check List Complimentary
copies of the list are also available at the |
WHY DO WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR WETLANDS? Wetlands provide a rich habitat (shelter, food and breeding space) for
plants and wildlife.
Wetlands help filter and clean our water. The dense vegetation helps
remove pollution, fertilizers and Wetlands also act as a sponge as they soak up a large amount
of excess water.
This water slowly The Puget Sound Basin has lost over 70% of its historic wetlands.
Degradation of the remaining wetlands |
BEAUTIFUL HERON |
TOTEM LAKE - "RAIL CENTRAL" Totem
Lake is a great place to always hear Rails <
Not at Totem Lake but, rather, at the Mercer Slough |
SNOW
GEESE AT DODGE VALLEY, SKAGIT, WA - 04/2006 |
|
PHOTOS
FROM TOTEM LAKE |
|
|
TOTES ISLAND The
object you see off the right corner of the |
NORTHERN
FLICKER removes debris from his nest at Totem Lake. |
|
SNOW
COMES TO THE LAKE
Two
years is right around the corner!
|
ANOTHER TL
BIRD PHOTO |
What's
Happening At The Totem Lake Wetlands Today? 05/28/12 5
PM. Mallard, Am. Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, Bushtits, Marsh Wren, Am. Robins, 09/02/11
Mid-Morning. Did a quick tour of the wetlands and
talked to a couple of data collectors 07/10/11
Afternoon. Back on the update track after taking
a couple years off to go back to 11/27/09
Afternoon. Christine Dubois and her mother got great
looks at a Long-eared Owl, a very FOR
THE LAST YEAR. I have conducted water quality monitoring
at the lake. The results are 05/21/07
5 PM. Graham and I met fellow birder and photographer
Marc Hoffman at the Lake. 03/26/07
Noon Partly Cloudy, 58 degrees. Am. Crows, Mallards,
Song Sparrows, 02/27/07
2 PM Cloudy, 43 degrees. Am. Crows, Mallards,
Song Sparrows, Marsh Wrens, WATER
QUALITY TESTING AT TOTEM LAKE JAN. 2007 to the present 12/28/06
3 PM Cloudy, 36 degrees. Am. Crows, Mallards,
Spotted Towhees,
Song Sparrows, 09/14/06
Noon Cloudy and on/off rain, 58 to 63 degrees. Am. Crows, Mallards, 07/22/06 9 AM,
Partly Cloudy, 77 degrees. Going to be a very hot
day. The list for this morning:
Pied-billed Grebe, Green Herons, Mallards, Virginia Rail, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Barn Swallows, Black-capped Chickadee, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finches and American Goldfinches. The Waxwings were "playing" among the lily pads which I found a bit peculiar. 05/17/06 6 PM,
Made a quick stop to check for Rails near the Yuppie
Pawn boardwalk and found 05/15/06 5 PM,
Partly Cloudy, 78 degrees. On our Monday evening
bird walk, Graham and I saw a 05/08/06 We've
been waiting for the return of the Cedar Waxwings and
today we were rewarded. 05/06/06
A NICE NOTE FROM TOM MANSFIELD 03/27/06
10
AM, Partly Cloudy, 49 degrees. The Tree Swallows
have returned! Several were seen 02/16/06 I passed by the grass farm near Ch. St. Michelle in
Woodinville this morning about 02/15/06
I spent two hours unsuccessfully looking for the rare Slaty-backed
Gull yesterday in the
early afternoon in Renton. After an
errand, I went
back for a last look around 4 PM and there was 02/07/06
4 PM Partly Cloudy, 56 degrees. A Fox Sparrow
was moving low in the wetlands
near the Yuppie Pawn boardwalk. Also, Canada Geese, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Gadwalls, Mallards, Buffleheads, Cooper's Hawk, Am. Coots, Downey Woodpecker, Am. Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, Marsh Wrens, Am. Robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers (both), Spotted Towhees, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, House Finches, Virginia Rails, Bushtits, one Anna's Hummingbird, Green-winged Teals, Hooded Mergansers, Bewick's Wrens and E. Starlings. Starting to see more of the female Red-winged Blackbirds coming in. 01/23/06
4 PM Partly Cloudy, 46 degrees. Very birdy today! Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 01/19/06
4 PM Light Rain, 43 degrees. Not a bad hour at
the lake. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 12/06/05
3 PM Cloudy, 38 degrees. More Ruby-crowned Kinglets
are showing up and three 12/03/05
No Totem Lake trip today as we followed a twitch to Discovery Park
to see 12/01/05 SNOW! Only a few Coots and Robins braved the cold and snow this afternoon. 11/30/05 3
PM Cloudy,
37 degrees. COLD!
Not
the usual numbers of birds but some nice 10/03/05 5
PM Clear,
54 degrees. A
Rail fest today! We heard at least five Rails
off the Yuppie 09/21/05 10
AM Clear,
51 degrees. A
quick stop at the Lake yielded a nice look at a 09/12/05
5PM Overcast,
64 degrees. Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Orange-crowned
Warblers, 08/21/05
7PM Clear,
65 degrees. Yet another first for the lake list - Olive-sided
Flycatcher seen 08/15/05
6AM High Scattered Clouds,
61 degrees. Another first for
the lake list - Two Winter Wrens 08/11/05
8PM Cloudy,
62 degrees. First time since
Feb. for the Hooded Merganser. Two of them 08/09/05
6AM Cloudy,
56 degrees. I was at the lake
at first light. A new one for the lake - A 08/08/05
5PM Clear, 79 degrees.
Highlight of the day - a female Black-headed Grosbeak 08/06/05
8PM Clear, 72 degrees. Four
Wood Ducks and nine Mallards were seen on the lake. In the last several months, I have taken over 28 bags of
litter 08/01/05
8PM Clear, 61 degrees. Barn Swallows continued
their early evening feeding 07/31/05 5PM Clear, 84 degrees. Barn Swallows all over the place! 07/01/05
The last few days, King Conservation District volunteers have
been working at the Lake. 06/25/05
8PM Clear, 68 degrees. Mallards, Am. Crows, Black-capped Chickadees,
Bushtits, 06/23/05
Sorry for the long delay in posting but regular career matters
called as well as birdng in 05/09/05 3PM Light Rain, 52
degrees. First appearance this year for the Cedar Waxwings. 05/08/05 Mike
Hamilton and his daughter spotted a Pileated Woodpecker near
the boardwalk Off to Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival! 05/05/05 Michael Hobbs spotted another new one for the park - a male Wilson's Warbler! 05/04/05 9AM Light Rain, 51 degrees. First appearance this year for the Common Yellowthroat! 05/03/05
9AM Cloudy, 48
degrees. One of our Virginia Rails was making quite
a bit of 04/28/05
10AM Scattered Clouds, 54
degrees. Another first for the lake! Two Chipping
Sparrow 04/27/05
9AM Scattered Clouds, 54
degrees. A first for the lake! A Western Tanager was
seen 04/25/05 5PM Sunny, 52 degrees. Canada Geese, Mallards, Green-winged Teals, Buffleheads, Am. Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, Bushtits, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Am. Robins, E. Starlings, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, House Finches, Am. Goldfinches, Great Blue Heron, Wood Ducks, Am. Coots, Rock Pigeon and Tree Swallows. Going to Illinois in search of the American Golden-Plover. 04/02/05
Bushtit nests are gourd-shaped, about a foot long, made of
grasses, twigs and leaves, Thanks to Gil for spotting the Golden-crowned Kinglet at Totem Lake! Wildbird
Magazine (March/April issue) is offering a Canon 20D digital
camera 03/23/05
10AM Partly Cloudy, 47 degrees. It's about time!
Spotted a Tree Swallow on a snag 03/18/05
9AM Partly Cloudy, 39 degrees. Three male Downy
Woodpeckers jockeying for 03/17/05
10AM Partly Cloudy, 42 degrees. Highlight was a
Virginia Rail off the 03/09/05 5PM Mostly Cloudy, 57 degrees. A Wood Duck couple is back. 03/07/05
8AM Overcast,
55 degrees. Pied-billed Grebe, Canada Geese, Mallards, 03/04/05 10AM Partly Cloudy, 50 degrees. New one for the park list - Red-breasted Sapsucker! 02/26/05 Off to Conway, WA to see thousands of Snow Geese! 02/23/05
3PM Sunny, 60 degrees. Highlight of the day
is a new addition to the list, the 02/17/05
No Totem Lake report today. Going to see Sandhill Cranes
in 02/15/05
4PM Partly Cloudy, 40 degrees. Am. Crows, Mallards,
Song Sparrows, Marsh Wren, 02/14/05
4PM Cloudy, 38 degrees. Green-winged Teals, Am. Crows, Mallards, 02/06/05 Too much rain! 02/05/05 No Totem Lake report today. Going to the Skagit Bald Eagle Festival. 02/03/05
10AM Partly Cloudy, 50 degrees. Green-winged Teals, Am. Crows, Mallards, 02/01/05
3PM Partly Cloudy, 53 degrees. Green-winged Teals, Am. Crows, Mallards, |
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