Geez - I thought changing the start time to 5:30 a.m. might cut down on the
number of people coming out. Nope. We had about 17-18 people today (who
can count that high? "More than two", Ollie would say), compared to about
18-19 last week. Of course, there's *reasons* why people bird Marymoor.

There were high clouds and some clearing today, with temps in the 50's-60's.
Not bad. Even the mosquitoes were not as bad as recent weeks.

Highlights:

We had 2-3 CASPIAN TERNS flying north over the slough and dog meadow,
calling constantly.

We had 2+ MOURNING DOVES. In past years, this species has been an
occasional visitor, but this was our 7th consecutive week with MODO, and
most weeks we've seeen more than one bird.

The BALTIMORE ORIOLE was very evident. It was chasing 2-3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES
in the cottonwoods separating the dog meadow from the slough just about
opposite the Rowing Club. However, it was also heard further south later,
closer to where it was first seen south of the dog area. The bird was very
vocal, and most of our walk we could hear its song if we listened hard
enough. Lee Crawford may have become the first Washington birder to add
BAOR to her life and state list before BUOR; the Baltimore showed first at
the southernmost dog swim area, and Lee didn't get her first look at a BUOR
for another half hour.

We had a somewhat cooperative RED-EYED VIREO that gave us close looks of its
vent in the big cottonwood forest half way between the dog area and the
lake. Some people managed to get enough of a look at its face to be sure of
the ID. Of course it was singing a REVI song as well...

The big surprise of the day was an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER on some dead
blackberry canes southeast of the "compost piles" (now the dirt piles). It
popped up for a minute or so, giving us great looks, then it vanished.
Grace Oliver and Ned McGarry were unable (as far as I know) to relocate the
bird, despite beginning their search within minutes of our views. The bird
was very pale - almost white - on the breast and belly.

We had a somewhat late WILSON'S WARBLER near the windmill. We have very few
midsummer sightings.

Everything else was pretty much as usual - a few YELLOW WARBLER, lots and
lots of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, many
signing-but-invisible SWAINSON'S THRUSH, and a few sightings of RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER.

Graham reported a LAZULI BUNTING from the compost piles, but we couldn't
find one by the time we got there.

This capped a 3-oriole week for me in King County, as I had the Hooded
Oriole in Magnolia last Thursday, and Bullock's and Baltimore Monday and
today at Marymoor. Does that beat a 5-falcon day? I've never had one of
those...

For the day, 60 species.

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