Tweets - I didn't post last week, for which I apologize. I'll try to do a
bit of a combined report here.

Last week was cold and gray and quiet. Today was hot (55-65 degrees) and
somewhat sunny, with a lot more birds, although amazingly our species count
was the same - 50 each day.

The big news today was that it was SPRING. We had SINGING Song Sparrow,
Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and
Bewick's Wren. On the south pond at the Rowing Club the Mallards went one
better. We watched them proceed from head bobbing to a full copulation.
Seems like an early start. The Hazelnuts have their catkins already, and
the Indian Plum buds are big.

Last week we had geese - hundreds of CANADAs plus around 30 CACKLING and 1
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED. Today we had a grand total of 3 Canadas.

Duck diversity was pretty good both weeks - 9 species (10 total). We spent
a long time today looking at the very few scaup present, finally (I think)
deciding we had at least 1 female GREATER SCAUP and 2 (male and female)
LESSER SCAUP and there may have been 1-2 other scaup that went unidentified.

COOPER'S HAWK were around both weeks - today we had great looks at an adult
in Snag Row going after something (maybe just a crow) in the Pea Patch.

Last week we heard a VIRGINIA RAIL from the bend in the boardwalk. This
week, with the water about 9 inches higher, it must have moved to drier
ground.

Last week, Matt had a GREAT HORNED OWL early from between the mansion and
the windmill. That night, I had a BARN OWL in the cedars next to the
windmill and heard a GHOW calling from west of the river (maybe west of the
parkway). Early this morning I again heard a GHOW calling from west of the
windmill.

The adult NORTHERN SHRIKE continues to be seen in the East Meadow and in the
trees east of the meadow. A nice looking bird. Shrike also like the weedy
wetland south of the velodrome parkinglot.

Nice looks at a couple of BROWN CREEPER today west of the mansion. Also
seen last week.

We heard (but never saw) VARIED THRUSH last week south of the mansion.
Today, I'll bet they're moving up in elevation.

Both weeks were good for sparrows, with the same 8 species seen both weeks -
SPOTTED TOWHEE, FOX, SONG, LINCOLN'S, WHITE-THROATED, WHITE-CROWNED, and
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWs, and DARK-EYED JUNCO. Today we had a huge flock of
GCSP between the parkinglot and the weir, and amongst them found a WCSP and
the White-throated. Also present were juncos, including one SLATE-COLORED
JUNCO.

On a side note, I went to Idlewood Park afterwards, and found 10 CEDAR
WAXWINGs.

For the day, 50 species. For the year, 67 species.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net