Greetings,

Here's a copy of the numbers of birds I found at Green Lake Park (Seattle,
King Co., WA) this morning.

745-915
Overcast, 40F/10C, light SW wind.

Legend:
Where applicable before comma = male(s), after comma = female(s).
An asterisk indicates a note at he end.


GREBES, PODICIPEDIDAE
Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 5*
CORMORANTS, PHALACROCORACIDAE
Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1
WATERFOWL, ANATIDAE
Canada goose (Branta canadensis) 51*
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 47,35
Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) 2,1
American wigeon (Anas americana) 171,130
Mallard (Anas platyrhinchos) 37,25
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 4,1
Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 1,0
Common merganser (Mergus merganser) 0,2
Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 7,7
OSPREY, EAGLES, HAWKS, ACCIPITIDAE
Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1,1 (adults)
Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 0,1 imm.
RAILS, RALLIDAE
American coot (Fulica americana) 385
GULLS & TERNS, LARIDAE
Mew gull (Larus canus) 86
Ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) 49
Glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) 41
pink-legged hybrid gull 6
PIGEONS & DOVES, COLUMBIDAE
Rock dove (Columba livia) 22
WOODPECKERS, PICIDAE
Red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) 1*
CORVIDS, CORVIDAE
American crow (Corvus brachyrhychos) 660*
CHICKADEES, PARIDAE
Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 17
BUSHTITS, AEGITHALIDAE
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 110
NUTHATCHES, SITTIDAE
Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 2
KINGLETS, REGULIDAE
Golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 44
Ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) 2
THRUSHES, TURDIDAE
American robin (Turdus migratorius) 8
Varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius) 1*
STARLINGS, STURNIDAE
European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 119
WOOD WARBLERS, PARULIDAE
Yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata) 1 (Audub. race)
SPARROWS, EMBERIZIDAE
Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) 13
BLACKBIRDS & ORIOLES, ICTERIDAE
Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 46
Brewer's blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 4
FINCHES, FRINGILLIDAE
American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) 55
OLD WORLD SPARROWS, PASSERIDAE
House sparrow (Passer domesticus) 16

Notes:

Pied-billed grebe: The past few weeks there have been about 14 PBGRs on the
lake. Are they anticipating freezing weather and leaving? Interestingly
there are two birds in alternate plumage (that weren't here last week),
while everybody else, including the pair hanging out in the NW corner
(cattails/water lilies) are in definitive plumage.

Canada goose: Down from 230ish in the past few weeks. Probably just across
the street at the south end of the lake, outside my count area. No real
change I'm sure.

Red-breasted sapsucker: Finally! I've been checking for our "regular" in its
regular spot, the trees between the path and the north tennis court. I
wonder if the birding by ear tapes tell you to listen for the scraping
noises of woodpecker toes on bark, for that's how I found this guy.

American crow: Did a little test this morning. For years I've known that in
winter many crows that use the Foster Island/Arboretum communal roost leave
the roost in the morning and at Green Lake congregate in a large flock at
the east beach, mainly the diving platform. They are there for a short
period before dispersing over the park and surrounding areas in groups of
2-10. In the afternoon the opposite takes place, except the group at Green
Lake gathers at the north end near the island, before heading for Foster
Island. This morning I observed from 715-745, counting the crows as they
arrived at the east beach, staying until the majority had dispersed.

time # of crows
715 0
730 315
735 600
740 660
745 15

This illustrates nicely how my behavior (procrastinating getting up even
"just a few more minutes") seriously influences the number of crows I'm
going to count.

Varied thrush: In the top of a deciduous tree at the north end of the lake.
Mixed in with robins and goldfinches. Unexpected spot. I would have expected
it at the base of the tree.

Cheers,
Martin Muller, Seatle
MartinMuller at email.msn.com