Tweets,

I set off very early this morning in hopes of finding the reported Yellow-billed Loon off Seward Park and the Solitary Sandpiper and Yellow-headed Blackbird reported at the Montlake Fill. Well, I batted 333 this AM.

No sign of any loons at dawn in Andrews Bay or north along the Lake Washington shore to Stan Sayres, though I did see three breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebes. I did three loops around the Fill between 6 and 7:30 AM. The wind shift has stirred up lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, both Audubon's and Myrtles, and several small flocks of Least Sandpipers came and went during my stay. No sign of the Solitary. Just one Greater Yellowlegs passing through plus a snipe and killdeer. A nice bunch of ducks, including a Cinnamon Teal pair but no Blue-winged Teal. A few Vaux's Swifts joined the throng of swallows.

The male Yellow-headed Blackbird showed briefly, then disappeared. It seems to hang out in the cattails along the south shore towards the southeast point.

Yesterday evening a lone male Purple Martin scouted out Logboom Park but neither called nor landed before flying back down the lake. Also, my first Black-throated Gray Warblers (2) were singing in woods east of Duvall yesterday. Still no Pacific-slope Flycatchers despite lots of time in good habitat these last few days. They are definitely behind schedule.

Last but not least, yesterday afternoon what I suspect must have been a Northern Goshawk circled over my house at high altitude. All I could see for sure was the bulk, long & broad wings, and very prominent fluffy white undertail coverts.

Gene Hunn.
18476 47th Pl NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
enhunn323 at comcast.net