Hi Tweets

On a nice clear July morning, 7 people joined me at Marymoor (Michael is on his way to Baltimore with his son for a national junior track meet).

As is becoming usual this July, it was relatively quiet with much reduced singing, but the birds were there. We did have to work for them but we eventually managed to see 54 species.

Highlights included: 17 KILLDEER on the soccer fields, more than for a month at least; lots of BARN SWALLOWS on the soccer fields with a few CLIFF SWALLOWS; two VAUX'S SWIFTS; many COMMON YELLOWTHROATs with juveniles being fed; WOOD DUCK and young; two immature HOODED MERGANSERs; a flock of at least 25 BUSHTITs; 9 SWAINSON'S THRUSHes including a juvenile; RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER with an adult feeding at least one, maybe two young; STELLER'S JAY, unusual this time of year when they are completely silent; an adult BALD EAGLE flying thru the Cottonwood forest; a PIED-BILLED GREBE on the nest at the lake; a SPOTTED SANDPIPER at the lake; and an unidentified accipiter dive-bombing a very distant RED-TAILED HAWK.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mailto: bellasoc at isomedia dot com