Tweets - once again the weather was much better than could have been
expected based on weather reports. Until after 9:30, the morning was VERY
nice. By 9:45, it was cloudy, with a touch of drizzle. But the drizzle
was on-and-off, and mostly off, the rest of the morning, and the wind
never really kicked in. This steady rain didn't start until we were all
done. The birding was good and springlike. Highlights:

Common Merganser At least 7
Cooper's Hawk Two flying west of slough
Merlin Seen flying downslough around
11:00
Virginia Rail Heard tic de-dic tic de-dic song
near Dog Central
Red-breasted Sapsucker Two near windmill
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD Male doing J-displays near first footbridge
Tree Swallow About 3 near the lake
Violet-green Swallow 10-20 well west of the slough
Yellow-rumped Warbler A handful seen
Townsend's Warbler Male and female seen near mansion
White-throated Sparrow Seen again near parking lot early
Western Meadowlark 2-3

The WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen flying from the East Meadow to the large
cottonwood just west of the slough. Two perched high in that tree for a
few minutes before flying back towards the East Meadow. Strange to see a
meadowlark at the very top of the tallest tree in the park.

The RED-TAILED HAWKS appear to be nesting. The odd-snag nest just SW of
the main park entrance appears to have new twigs and a few conifer boughs
added to it. An adult was sitting on top of the ball above the nest (this
snag is almost broken straight off, but has an improbable toothpick
sticking up about 6 feet supporting a large ball of wood. The nest is at
the base of the toothpick support). There also appeared to be an adult at
the nest west of the Rowing Club (in one of the large conifers on the west
side of West Lake Samm. Pkwy).

A EUROPEAN STARLING was seen bringing nest material to the Dudley Carter
carving near the entrance to Marymoor.

A COMMON GOLDENEYE male did a brief display when it landed at the weir.
We did not see a female there at the time, but did see one later, so we
may just have missed her. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were also doing
beak-in-the-air poses competitively. American Robin, Bewick's Wren, House
Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Marsh
Wren, Winter Wren, and Virginia Rail were all singing.

Also, just near Dog Central, we had a quality view of a LONG-TAILED WEASEL
that stared back at us for quite a while.

All told, 57 species. Rufous Hummingbird brings the year total to 76.

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