Hover-craft seagull, Ethel at midspan

A cool, drizzly day today in the Puget Sound region. The wind is always from the south on overcast and damp days like today. And in the slight breeze that is just strong enough to make small ripples on the surface of Lake Washington a glaucous seagull was suspended almost in midair over the midspan of the 520 Bridge. It kind of looked like a figure on a crib mobile, suspended by a nearly invisible string that had been anchored above to the low-lying clouds. Seagulls not only can fly, they can hover....wings spread but quiet....on only a hint of wind. In the area of the Arboretum a blue heron had claimed every piling and a flock of Canada Geese flew overhead from north to south as we passed below.

Ethel was sitting atop one of the light standards on the middle span of the bridge when we traveled westbound this morning. This isn't the typical perch for either of the eagles...they are nearly always west of the western high rise. By the time we returned she had flown off somewhere. No sign of Ernest this time.