Hi Folks:
I wanted to tell people about the good birding at Newcastle Park right now.
This is a Bellevue City Park on the east shores of Lake Washington between
Renton and Bellevue. Amy Schillinger led a Rainier Audubon group down there
on Sat morning (Apr 29). We arrived at the park about 8:15am. First we
walked the back perimeter near the parking lot and saw a Killdeer pair w/
two young birds running around on the gravel and grass. We also saw a Bald
Eagle, and an Osprey and several other birds. A Bald Eagle was perched in
large tree up the hill toward the freeway. (This tree can also be seen from
the freeway just south of the Coal Creek Parkway turnoff.)
Next we birded the north side of the large grassy area in the park, where we
heard and saw 3 juv Bald Eagles, several Yel-rumped Warblers, a Wilson's
Warbler, and Bushtits. Out at the swimming beach we scanned the lake and
saw small numbers of several duck species including: Gadwall, Mallard,
Canvasback - 1, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup - 2, Lesser Scaup,
Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, and Common Merganser. We walked a wonderful
0.5 mile nature trail through the cottonwoods south of the main grass area.
It starts at the turn-around on the entry road. On the trail out near the
lake, there is
a small wetland. On an earlier walk thru the nature trail we saw Wood Ducks
there. We saw nesting birds and heard LOTS of bird song on the nature
trail.
We didn't have time to walk the various trails near to the park. One
possibility for migrants is the road by the caretaker's house. And there is
the bike trail that follows the dinner train RR track that is behind the
park. It should be good along there too. I think birders might want to get
to the park early because it is a popular park for families. In the summer
swimmers and windsurfers are there too. Our group left the park about
9:45am and we were just about the only people in the park on Sat morning.
There is a nice restroom there. On Sat morning in Newcastle Park we saw and
heard 30 species.
DIRECTIONS: Take I-405 north from Renton or south from Bellevue. Take exit
9, and turn down to Lake Washington following the signs to Newcastle Park.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines
mail to: linusq at att.net