I have been remiss in sending out these reports, sorry.

The two weeks preceding today have been a transition from summer to fall
birding, with a few highlights such as OSPREY, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and
occasional mixed flocks featuring ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, WARBLING VIREO,
WESTERN TANAGER, and maybe a flycatcher or two (last week: WILLOW FLYCATCHER?
and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER).

August 30 was the last date that BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen, and the only
swallows have been BARN. Last week was incredibly quiet - some might say
"dead", until we got to the compost piles next to the Interpretive Lot. These
hosted hundreds of HOUSE FINCH, as well as AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and SAVANNAH SPARROW. The Savannahs appeared more
contrasty than our breeding ones, and we wondered if they were a more
northern-breeding race.

Needless to say, I had LOTS of people out with me for the two preceding weeks,
when the birding was blah. Both weeks, we just barely managed 40 species after
hard work.

TODAY, ON THE OTHER HAND, featured me ALONE with some great birds:

American Bittern
Bufflehead First of fall
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Red-eyed Vireo
Six warblers:
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Six Sparrows:
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow First of fall
Purple Finch

I also had three late VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, one or two probable SHARP-SHINNED
HAWKS, several GREEN HERON, and a few summer birds: SWAINSON'S THRUSH, WILLOW
FLYCATCHER, and VAUX'S SWIFT.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland WA
== hummer at isomedia.com
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm