Greetings:
Yesterday I did a bit of birding from Auburn to Kirkland along with Carol
Schulz. We ran into good raptors in the valley, including a very interesting
light Harlan's Hawk. That bird was seen off the West Valley Hwy about 3
blocks north of 277th St, in the fields near Smith Brothers Dairy. The
bird's crop was fully distended and it looked quite content so may be
viewable for a few days.
After a couple more stops in the valley we headed up to Juanita Bay. The
American Black Duck was very easy to see at the north side of the park, and
was acting very tame (but then, everything is tame there, even the
California Gulls). The bird called a few times, easily confirming it as a
female, and sounding subtly lower pitched than a Mallard.
In the afternoon we checked out the gulling areas on South Lake Washington,
and found them to be highly productive with hundreds of gulls. There was
nothing unusual noted today, but very decent numbers of Thayer's (adults)
and Herring (mixed ages).

KENT VALLEY (9:00AM-12:00PM):
Cackling Goose (100 minima)-Emerald Downs; couldn't find main flock.
Eurasian Wigeon (3m.): also one hybrid.
Northern Harrier (1f.)-Smith Brothers Dairy
HARLAN'S HAWK (1): a striking white morph juvenile at SBD; video.
Peregrine Falcon (1m.)-SBD
Rough-legged Hawk (1ad. m.)-Toysmith Wetland, etc.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (1)-287th St
American Kestrel (2)
Dunlin (12)-285th St
Long-billed Dowitcher (5)- "
Wilson's Snipe (1)-Emerald Downs
Red-breasted Sapsucker (1)-287th St
American Pipit (2)-SBD
Yellow-rumped Warbler (10)
Savannah Sparrow (2)-Emerald Downs
Lincoln's Sparrow (9)-287th St
Golden-crowned Sparrow (25)- "
American Goldfinch (30)- "

JUANITA BAY AREA (1:00-2:00):
Wood Duck (20)
Eurasian Wigeon (1)
American Wigeon (100)
Canvasback (20)
Ruddy Duck (3)
RED-THROATED LOON (1)-middle of lake
Common Loon (1)
Virginia Rail (3)
Mew Gull (20)
California Gull (12)
White-throated Sparrow (1)

GENE COULON PARK/CEDAR RIVER (2:30-4:00)
Greater White-fronted Goose (19)
Common Goldeneye (50)
Barrow's Goldeneye (10)
Red-necked Grebe (2)
Mew Gull (50)
California Gull (2)
Herring Gull (40): most at Cedar R. mouth
Thayer's Gull (40): mainly on rooftop in Boeing complex.
Glaucous-winged Gull (650+)-incl. hybrids
Western Gull (2)
--
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington

c.wright7 at comcast.net