Hey Tweeters,

Today a friend and I birded from Kent to Renton in the light rain.
Despite the wet (but fairly warm) weather today we found some interesting
birds. First in the fields along 277th Street (AKA "Cow Road") in Kent, a
very large flock of blackbirds. Scanning for unusual species we could only
come up with a minimum of 15000 starlings, 5000 Red-winged Blackbirds, 2000
Brewer's Blackbirds, and 250 Brown-headed Cowbirds, but no notable species.
Also in the field was a flock of 300 Canada Geese, a little over 200 of them
being CACKLERS. Unfortunately, none of the fields have quite flooded yet but
I'm hopeful that they will be in good shape after this storm.

A bit later along the at the nursery near Kent Ponds, there was some
sparrow activity in the rain. Of about 10 FOX SPARROWS, one appeared to be a
SLATE-COLORED type with a cold gray head, back, and nape. The uppertail
coverts, tail, and wings were brownish red, and it had traces of a wingbar. L
ooked identical to the birds I see in the Cascades each summer, and overall
the bird was very different from the nearby Sooty's. Also present was a pair
of LINCOLN'S SPARROWS. The rain persisted as we walked across the bridge over
the Green River to the "Riverview Marsh." The only notable birds here were 36
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and a PURPLE FINCH. At the Boeing Space Center area in
Kent was an adult PEREGRINE FALCON and at the North Pond at Boeing was a male
AMERICAN KESTREL.

Continuing north, we arrived at Gene Coulon Park at the south end of
Lake Washington at about noon. Here are a few of the birds seen.
Horned Grebes 10
Western Grebes 60
apparent Western x Clark's Grebe hybrid 60
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE 6 adult, 5 juv
Northern Shovelers 40
Canvasbacks 2
REDHEAD 1
Ring-necked Ducks 3
Lesser Scaup 50
Buffleheads 10
Barrow's Goldeneye 2
Common Mergansers 15
THAYER'S GULL 1
"Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler 1

Nearby at the mouth of the Cedar River was a very large gull flock (mostly
hybrids of GWxWestern and GWxHerring) loafing and feeding on salmon
carcasses.
Horned Grebes 5
EARED GREBE 1
Western Grebes 30
Ring-necked Ducks 5
Lesser Scaup 20
Bufflehead 20
Common Goldeneye 10
Barrow's Goldeneye 12
Hooded Merganser 8
Mew Gulls 20
Ring-billed Gulls 12
California Gulls 6
Herring Gulls 15
THAYER'S GULLS 18
WESTERN GULL 1

That's all!

Charlie Wright
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA
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