Subject: Friday AM Discovery Park
Date: Sep 22 23:54:19 2000
From: Mike Wagenbach - wagen13 at yahoo.com


Had an excellent morning in Discovery Park, at least by my feeble
standards. Started from the south parking lot (the one near the
radome) at 0735, wandered through the middle of the south meadow and
over to the sand dune, back along the bluff and edge of the meadow,
finishing at 1015. Total about 20 species or geni (genuses?).

Highlights, in semi-random order:

First Golden-Crowned Kinglets of the year, second species seen, after
Crow, and second-to-last, before Sharp-Shinned Hawk (the day's third,
hunting a different passerine unsuccessfully).

Good day for sparrows: 1 Spotted Towhee, ~8 Song, ~6 WC, 1 GC, 1 Fox,
and 4 or 5 Lincoln's (seen for only second time, after Michael Hobbs
IDed them for me Wednesday at Marymoor). Missed Savannah, which I'm
pretty sure I saw here 2 weeks ago. Bewick's Wren rounds out the LBJs.

A swarm of swifts and swallows. Saw just a couple of Barn Swallows,
then a couple Vaux's Swifts, which I didn't expect. Suddenly about 20
more swallows formed a cloud peppered with the swifts!? This made
somewhat more sense when they started focusing on pestering the day's
second Sharpie, which glided and jinked obligingly right in front of my
lenses! At least one swift remained in sight at almost all times
afterword, with one earning it's name shooting by about 4 feet off of
my left shoulder (unfortunately, from behind and departing toward the
sun). Best views I've ever had of swifts!

At least 10 Northern Flickers, up to 3 in one field of view. Began to
resent them scaring off the sparrows and goldfinches. The latest
"trash bird." ;->

First Surf Scoters of the season, seen as black-and-white specks from
the bluff. Likely a couple of dozen Bonaparte's Gulls off West Point,
but didn't have time to hike down there for a decent look.

3 hummingbirds (species not IDed), one doing yo-yo flight display
2 or 3 Stellar's Jay
2 imm. Common Yellowthroat
4 Yellow-rumped Warbler

*Almost-convincing* look at possible Purple Finch, a nemesis. Gotta
get a Leica!

Fewer Black-Capped Chickadees than Flickers, Sharpies, or swifts. What
a weird day!





=====
Mike Wagenbach wagen13 at yahoo.com
wagenATuDOTwashingtonDOTedu Seattle WA

"I like to get to work early, so I can discard a pet hypothesis before breakfast." Konrad Lorenz

I'd settle for Happy Hour.

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