Tweets - Six of us started out this morning, under a high, thin overcast,
with smoke to the east, and ground fog. Kind of odd for July. It was
chilly enough that I started with a sweater, but it soon got hot and sunny.

We're beginning to see the transition from summer to autumn in the birds.
Most species are wrapping up the nesting season, and some have already
headed out from their nesting grounds to their post-breeding dispersal
grounds. This means some birds that nested at Marymoor are gone, and others
who didn't are back.

Highlights:

Green Heron 1-2 immatures, 1 gorgeous adult at RC
Virginia Rail 1 heard calling from far side of slough
Spotted Sandpiper 3 flying down slough ahead of rowers
Willow Flycatcher Unexpectedly big numbers, lots of song ???
Bewick's Wren Also unexpectedly big numbers
Warbling Vireo 4+ chasing each other near E end of boardwalk
Red-eyed Vireo 2 singing
Brown Creeper 2 chasing each other near E end of boardwalk
Yellow Warbler 1 unattended juvenile
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 immatures near mansion
Wilson's Warbler Great look at an adult male S of Dog Central
Western Tanager Beautiful adult male at Dog Central
Black-headed Grosbeak Only immatures noted (lots though)
Bullock's Oriole Female feeding 1 immature east of weir

Really cool sightings:

Just before 6:00 a.m., Brian and I were (independently) watching the OSPREY
nest (on the cell phone tower by the velodrome), where an adult and 2
juveniles were very visible. Then another adult, carrying a fish and
calling frantically, came back towards the nest. It was being *chased* by 2
other Ospreys! Has anyone heard of kleptoparasitism amongst Osprey? I
don't really have an explanation for what we saw. The adult made it back to
the nest with the fish. The other two ospreys flew around the nest for a
minute or so, then they flew off.

There was a female WOOD DUCK and 3-4 ducklings swimming above the weir that
scattered when 2 RIVER OTTER approached. Afterwards there were only 3
ducklings, but as we hadn't had a perfect count before, we're not sure if
the otters scored or not.

Bruce saw a RACCOON from the (still under construction) lake platform.

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