Meadowlarks are regularly present in winter/spring at Marymoor,
especially in March. They are very reserved, and I don't usually see
them unless I intentionally try to flush them. They are usually in the
NE part of the nature trail, and are hunkered down in the grass. Even
in flight, one can't usually see any yellow, and they never seem to sit
on an exposed perch as they do on their breeding grounds.

The area they hang out in is very similar to the tall grass areas of the
Fill.

I have sightings from mid-January through early May, and one fall
sighting (9/28/95) as well, and I suspect I have missed them more often
than not.

As for a Fill juvenile, could it be a bird from one of the west-side
breeding sites touring the larger area? Alternately, is there a chance
the bird seen might have been an immature starling? To my eye,
especially in flight, there are certain similarities in posture and back
coloration.


== Michael Hobbs
== Redmond WA
== mikeho at microsoft.com