Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park Report (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2006-03-01
Date: Mar 1 16:03:35 2006
From: Michael Hobbs - birdmarymoor at verizon.net
Tweets - we may have had the best weather of the week this morning, at least
for the first 3 hours. It was a touch nippy to start, but warmed up pretty
well (from 34 to 54 in 5 hours). The wind did crank up by about 10:00, but
the birding was still good. I officially am declaring SPRING to have
arrived.
Highlights:
Cooper's Hawk Several sightings, adult & immature
Red-tailed Hawk Sitting atop odd-snag nest
Virginia Rails Responded to clap at bend in boardwalk
Barn Owl Matt had one on the windmill early
R.-br. Sapsucker Pair on birch near start of boardwalk
Anna's Hummingbird Male on tree at Rowing Club
Belted Kingfisher Only 2nd sighting of 2006
TREE SWALLOW 2-3, over meadows
N. SHRIKE Adult in East Meadow
American Robin Notably ubiquitous today
Townsend's Warbler At least 2 near the mansion
Lincoln's Sparrow At least a half-dozen at Compost Piles
Purple Finch 4 at Screech-Owl site
W. Meadowlark 6 near Compost Piles, singing
The day was a lot of fun; there were just four of us most of the day before
Ollie joined us late and told us about the shrike.
We got 3 long looks at an adult COOPER'S HAWK in flight, including watching
it dive between some houses west of the park, disturbing robins, starlings,
and two flickers.
There was a GREAT BLUE HERON in stunning breeding plumage on one of their
regular perching trees low over the slough.
We had several fly-overs by BALD EAGLES, always a pleasure, especially in
the sun.
Matt's BARN OWL reportedly sat on the windmill itself, squawking loudly for
a long time.
In the slough we had a female COMMON GOLDNEYE with a bevy of BUFFLEHEAD in
her wake. Later, we had a *male* COGO, again with a bevy in pursuit. Don't
know why.
The WESTERN MEADOWLARKS sat atop the blackberries at the north end of the
East Meadow, faced their breasts into the sun, and sang.
A WESTERN GULL brought a fish, apparently from the lake, all the way to the
Interpretive Lot. The gull landed, played with its food for a while, then
swallowed it. Actually, it took at least two attempts to get it down.
Just some of the moments today.
For the day, 61 species. For the year, we're up to 82 species.
== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net