Hi all -
This morning, Michael Hobbs, MaryFrancis Mathis & I met up at
Discovery Park [Seattle] for a little birding. We were greeted with a
beautiful day and great birding.
Some highlights:
Down on the beach:
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER - 10 flying north from the north side of the
beach, near the point.
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER - 1 remained on the north beach
LEAST SANDPIPER - several small flocks flying past the point, a few stopped in.
SANDERLING - 1 or 2 small flocks
DUNLIN - picked out a couple among the LESAs
MARBLED MURRELET - 2 almost, but not completely, in breeding plumage
- still a little white showing in their flanks
RHINO AUKLET - 2 off the point
PIGEON GUILLEMOT - a few around
PACIFIC LOON - Michael got on one flying past the point
BRANT - 36 close in, many more flying by
BONAPARTES GULL - hundreds out in the Sound
CASPIAN TERN - one flying by the north beach

Up at the higher areas we also had:
WESTERN TANAGER - one early on, north of the south parking lot
WILSON'S WARBLER - one early on, north of the south parking lot, one
heard later down by the north beach pond
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER - several singing, all over the place
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS - several still around
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER - one mixed in with a flock of YRWA, near the
south stairs down to the beach.

Over at the Montlake Fill, we saw the following:
LEAST SANDPIPERS - 10+
WESTERN SANDPIPERS - 3
GREEN HERON - one standing in great sunlight, along the slough where
the GWFG has been hanging out.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE - same one, still hanging out by the south slough
AMERICAN PIPIT - 1 by the main pond.
PIED-BILLED GREBE - one on the west pond, with a baby riding on its
back - until the other parent came over with food when the little one
scrambled into the water to chase the food.

Throw in the other regulars, ducks and the like, and I think our
combined list for birding before 1:00pm was 89 species -
Yay, spring has arrived!

Last note - A second hand report from later in the day at Discovery
Park mentioned CASSIN'S VIREOS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and an
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, but no lingering BBPL.

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA




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