Hi Tweets-

Michael Hobbs is down in Texas this week, so I substituted for him for
our weekly walk at Marymoor. We were joined by 7 other people in what
turned out to be one of the best mornings we have had there. The day
started out gray and overcast, but by the time we finished there was
considerable sun. The rains last week and earlier in the week brought
the river level back up and we were not able to walk the complete trail
since not everyone had high boots.

The day started out a little differently than usual with a report of a
possible AMERICAN KESTREL on the approach road. We all went over to
check it out, and it was a nice male kestrel. Walking back to "start"
our walk we had TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS in the conifers as well as
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEEs (often missed).

Everything was is full song with many COMMON YELLOWTHROATS sounding off
as well as innumerable MARSH WRENS. We had good numbers of YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS, both Audubon's and Myrtles.

In the east meadow we had at least two WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, many, many
singing SAVANNAH SPARROWS, but the highlight of the morning was at the
compost piles. We had a somewhat misplaced SAGE THRASHER working that
area over. Fortunately the bird was accomodating and allowed us to get
about 15-20 minutes of observation. Plain brown head and back and wings,
wings with two very narrow white wing bars, head with a bit of a facial
pattern with a slightly curved line running up behind the eye which was
yellowy/orange with a dark pupil. The chin was white outlined with dark
lines. The breast, belly and flanks were white with dark chevrons on the
upper breast and dark streakings along the flanks and lower belly. Light
(whitish?) marks on the underside of the tail seen while perched in a
tree under somewhat marginal light. Stance and behavior was typical
thrasher, upright and tending to run along the ground. A real treat for
all there. As we turned to go and continue the walk we had a nice HORNED
LARK feeding almost at our feet.

A beautiful morning which ran longer than usual because of the bird
activity, the need to take the long way around and the thrasher. We
wound up with either 58 or 60 species for the day (very distant view of
probable accipiter species high overhead, and a dead HERMIT THRUSH at
the rowing club).

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville Wa
bellasoc at isomedia.com