Hi Tweets - today I led a Seattle Audubon field trip to Spencer Island and the
Everett STP which provided some pretty good birding. The weather wasn't too
bad; a bit dark, but the wind stayed moderate, the temperature was comfortable,
and the rain held off. We would have done even better, except three
PEA-BRAINED MORONS (PBMO) were hunting in the south end of the island for
almost the whole morning.

The most notable birds were 3-4 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - one white-stripe about
50 yards north of the bridge on the west side of the island. Two about 50
yards further north on the east side of the path in a great sparrow patch that
also featured SONG, LINCOLN'S, FOX, and GOLDEN-CROWNED. And a tan-striped bird
on the East side of the island about 150 yards north of the cross-island dyke.

Other highlights:

Common Loon 1 on lagoon
Tundra Swan 6 flew in low over the barn
Bald Eagle 2 adults north of Langus Park
Cooper's Hawk Immature hunting SW of lagoon
Peregrine Falcon Beautiful adult female
Black-bellied Plover ~50 on the west side of the lagoon
Dunlin ~70 with the BBPL
Thayer's Gull 1 in the treatment plant
Pileated Woodpecker Several sightings, at least 2 birds
Barn Swallow Three or four

Pretty good numbers of ducks, including many GADWALL, SHOVELER, RUDDY DUCK, and
CANVASBACK on the sewage lagoon.

We were at the south end of the island when the PEREGRINE FALCON flew in from
the east end of the cross-island dyke and landed, facing us, in a snag about 50
yards away from us. She was gorgeous, and very cooperative. She let us watch
as long as we wanted.

VIRGINIA RAIL were not seen, but were heard whenever the yahoos fired their
gun.

Besides the Thayer's, we had several hundred BONAPARTE'S, MEW, and
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and at least one or two RING-BILLED and CALIFORNIA
GULLS.

At the south end, right after the peregrine, a male HAIRY WOODPECKER landed on
a snag right in front of us. Within seconds, two DOWNY WOODPECKER joined the
Hairy on the same snag. A great comparison. In the same area were the
PILEATEDS and many NORTHERN FLICKER.

Lots of PINE SISKIN, though surprisingly, no goldfinch.

In all, 63 species, and enough "misses" that we could easily have hit 70 with a
bit more luck. Oh, and I almost stepped on a large, green striped GARTER
SNAKE.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland WA
== hummer at isomedia.com