Tweets - the weather cooperated once again. Though there was overcast for
all of the morning, there was usually a spot of blue somewhere. No wind, no
rain, not too cold. Eight of us had an enjoyable morning that, while not
*birdy*, featured a steady trickle of birds throughout, and some surprises.

Highlights:

Gr. Wh.-fronted Goose 1 with CANGs flying northeast
Bald Eagle At least 4 adults
Northern Shrike 1 hunting Compost Piles, E. Meadow
COMMON RAVEN 2 flying upriver over weir
WH.-THR. SPARROW THREE BIRDS
Western Meadowlark 4 in East Meadow

It was a good day for ducks, too, with GADWALL, MALLARD, an even 40 NORTHERN
SHOVELER at the lake, a lone drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL at the Rowing Club
pond, CANVASBACK (our first for 2005, 2 at the lake), RING-NECKED DUCK,
SCAUP sp, BUFFLEHEAD (maybe 50), a flyby COMMON GOLDENEYE (First of Fall),
and HOODED MERGANSER.

We're still under 5 total sightings for COMMON RAVEN; these two were flying
playfully up the slough, and they called once or twice.

We had one WHITE-THROATED SPARROW near the first bench (at the second dog
beach). At the Compost Piles, we had TWO WTSP in the same binocular view.
It's possible that one of them was the same bird as the morning bird, but I
don't think so. I guess these guys are as common as dirt.

The Compost Piles were again "Sparrowpalooza", a term coined by Mason. We
had 9 species of sparrow there, including one FOX, the two WTSP, maybe 4
LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and a really beautiful SPOTTED TOWHEE.

For the day, 57 species. Canvasback and Common Raven push us up to 147
species for 2005 (Oh how I'd love to get that number up to 150!)

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