Tweets - another somewhat quiet day at Marymoor yesterday, but the weather
was pretty good, and we saw some good birds. The projected rain failed to
materialize, so we had a somewhat dark, but warm and dry morning. There was
too much breeze, though, and that kept the birds in the bushes most of the
morning.

Highlights:

AMERICAN BITTERN Flushed from just east of the lake platform
Northern Shrike Adult working the area N and NW of the
compost piles
Western Meadowlark An even dozen NE of the compost piles

There were, again, about 400 MEW GULLS on the grass soccer fields. There
was an unusually large number of GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS with them - usually
there are 10 or fewer large gulls; yesterday there were 20-30.

The BITTERN gave a startled "Groink" as we approached on the boardwalk, and
it took off and flew south. Winter sightings of bittern at Marymoor are
pretty rare.

Besides the glamour species already noted, the most exciting aspect of the
day was listening to birds SING. With the warm temps, I think the birds
were thinking spring.

Singing: (real songs)

Black-capped Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
WINTER WREN
Song Sparrow
House Finch

There was also quite a bit of posturing among ducks, with one female GADWALL
notably intollerent of "other" males. Her mate hardly had to do any work,
for she was quite capable of driving off suitors by herself.

For the day, 5 birders, 45 species. For the year, adding AMERICAN BITTERN,
GREATER SCAUP, CALIFORNIA GULL, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK, we're now at 71
species.

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