Tweets - water is still the order of the day at Marymoor, with a little less
water than on Saturday, but more than we had a week ago. At least there
wasn't much falling from the sky this morning. We had mostly cloudy skies,
but had mist for only a couple of hours in the middle of the morning. We
walked the slough trail as far as the first footbridge (opposite the Rowing
Club dock), then backtracked all the way to the parking lot to head over to
the other side. We cut through the east side of the dog meadow down to the
trail to the east end of the boardwalk, wading from the first footbridge all
the way to the lake. We did manage the to get to the lake platform, but
only by riding the side rails for the last 50 yards or so.

It was moderately birdy today, though things are not where they usually are.
The dog meadow ponds have lots of gulls and ducks. The southern section,
with water everywhere, has been pretty well cleared out of small birds.

Anyway, a few things of interest turned up:

Wilson's Snipe 14 flushed from along the slough at one time
Barn Owl Matt had one early over the East Meadow
Great Horned Owl Hugh had one south early of the East Meadow
Red-br. Sapsucker At east end of boardwalk
Brown Creeper 2 with RBSA, 2 more near mansion
Purple Finch Pair near the footbridge on the slough trail
American Goldfinch Large flock (20+) west of slough

The most exciting bird was a very red FOX SPARROW that was probably an
"altvagans" subspecies. Beadle and Rising consider this to be a subspecies
of RED FOX SPARROW. It was characterized by having very obvious red tones,
with a very bright reddish rump and wings, and with the red pattern
noticable across the shoulders and onto the face. The background tone,
behind the reddishness, was similar to a pale Sooty Fox Sparrow. This bird
was with two other Fox Sparrows and a pair of Spotted Towhees near the two
Doug Firs and the birch trees halfway south along the west side of the East
Meadow.

Matt heard a VIRGINIA RAIL near the east footbridge early this morning.
This is WELL inland from where we usually hear them.

We observed what appeared to be a territorial dispute between two RED-TAILED
HAWKS over just who was allowed to perch where in Snag Row.

At the lake, I spotted a bird with a white head and tail and a dark blackish
back swimming in the middle of the lake. My first thought was Great
Black-backed Gull, but then it took flight. It had been a BALD EAGLE, and
it may have had something in its grasp when it took off.

The other oddity today was finding a dead DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. Someone
had apparently fished the corpse out of the water and left it hanging over
the railing of the boardwalk next to a large stick. No obvious reason for
death. It was covered in spiders - maybe they were attracted to the
parasites?

For the day, 57 species. For the year, we're up to 71 species.

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