Tweets - today I did the Marymoor Park portion of the East Lake Washington
CBC, along with Denis DeSilvis and Roy Branson. Heavy clouds turned to
drizzle, turned to rain, turned to torrents. Just after lunch, though, the
rain stopped. The wind, of course, then started up. Despite all that, we
had a great day.

Highlights:

Horned Grebe 2 well out on Lake Samm.
Western Grebe 1 well out on the lake
GREEN HERON 1 on slough at the southernmost access
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 chased by crows below the weir
Wilson's Snipe 1 at the Rowing Club ponds
Mew Gull Estimated 1000 on soccer fields at 8:30
Red-breasted Sapsucker TWO, one near mansion, other SW along slough
Hairy Woodpecker M in cottonwoods near Pea Patch, F south of
mansion
Bushtit Many sightings, maybe 60 total
Savannah Sparrow 2 in East Meadow
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 in Pea Patch
W-THR. SPARROW 1 tan stripe next to Hairy Woodpecker
Western Meadowlark 2 seen in East Meadow 4:00 p.m.
Pine Siskin Several flocks, including 100 on Willowmoor
lawn

The GREEN HERON was a beautiful adult bird, and was on the ancient remains
of the beaver lodge on the west shore of the slough, visible from the #10
access trail just north of the west end of the boardwalk. We had no Green
Herons in November or December, so this was a surprize sighting. It's just
the 5th January Green I've had.

Both the male and the female HAIRY WOODPECKER were seen working the very
base of cottonwood trees. Both birds were standing on the ground, but
pecking at the trunk. They were seen about two hours, and about a quarter
mile, apart.

The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was with a flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, of
which we saw quite a lot today. They were in the ditch, just north of the
cottonwood row along the Pea Patch.

Several times we saw a flock of around 100 PINE SISKIN, as well as two
smaller flocks. Just before lunch, we found a flock of around 100 (the same
flock, we surmized), in Willowmoor Meadow near the "new" kids playground and
restrooms (east of Clise Mansion). As we took shelter from the heavy rain,
we watched them swarm over the ground. They moved like windblown leaves.
Some (10%?) had very notably brilliant yellow wing bars.

We did miss many ducks that should normally be present (this winter has been
bad for ducks), we had no warblers, and we could not find a Chestnut-backed
Chickadee even with an extensive search.

But despite being more than just damp, we all agreed that the day was a
success.

53 species for the day, 57 for the year.

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