This afternoon at Lake Sammamish State Park, I saw more than just the Sage Sparrow (see separate post).

On the main swimming beach, I saw a Cooper's Hawk standing on a dead American Coot. As I walked generally towards it (I was still
at least 50 yards away), the Coopers managed to become airbourne with the coot. It didn't go far - just over the bushes at the edge
of the beach, and down behind them. I was amazed that a Cooper's could take a coot, and that it could fly with it.

While racing from the spit at the western side of Issaquah Creek back to the bridge and up to the eastern spit, I flushed a Pileated
Woodpecker, and I came across beautiful male Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, and Common Merganser. Why is it you see the best
birds when you don't have time to stop?

I accessed the park from the soccer field across from the Costco store. In the fields behind the soccer fields, I checked inside
many clumps of conifers. I found numerous owl pellets, but no owls.

Near the creek, I saw 7 Purple Finch, including 2 males.

Bushtits, GC Kinglets, RC Kinglets (both with crests flaring), Black-capped Chickadees, and Fox Sparrows were abundant.

In the crotch of a sickly pine near that soccer field, I found the headless body of a Stellar's Jay. Not sure who might have eaten
only the head.

Lots of coyote scat throughout.

Not bad for a decidedly wet afternoon!

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland WA
== MJCT_Hobbs at msn.com