Hi Tweeters,

Medina is just about a hot spot right now. After returning from vacation I have started my twice daily heron nest checks again.

First the Bullock's Oriole(s). Yesterday morning I heard an oriole call and saw it fly to a nest in the heron tree. It was a female weaving away on it's nest. I saw it last night as well. This morning I walked past the heron tree to a small bridge on the trail and saw an oriole fly up to a conifer. I was expecting to see it gather some webs or moss for the nest but instead I saw one complete looking nest in that tree and a possible half a nest right next door. The oriole was backed up snugly to a branch and doing something. I walked around the other side and saw that it was working on the half a nest. Do orioles build multiple nests? I only saw and heard the one female. The complete nest by the bridge is festooned with blue plastic, possibly surveyor's tape.

What I have been waiting for has finally happened, the arrival of hatched Great Blue Heron chicks. There are two hatched chicks as of this morning in the 3rd nest down from the top nest, by the trunk. I am very pleased and excited the herons have gotten this far with their nesting efforts.

Also this morning I saw the Green Heron at the GBH pond and Peewee looking flycatcher but he wasn't saying anything. Last night I saw a flicker in one of the cavities of a snag by the trail. That one was used by starlings but I am guessing they have fledged by now. The same snag has a downy nest in it as well, and I think some chickadees have been using some of the small holes.

For those interest the park is on NE 12th. If you take NE 8th off 405 head west past the Bellevue Square and NE 8th winds into NE 12th without any turns. At a five way stop sign corner next to a Chevron the park is just straight beyond and the bird activity is mostly centered around the pond near the small parking lot that is located on NE 12th.

Happy birding:-)

Kathy

Kathy Andrich
Roosting in Renton
kjandrich at netscape.net

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