We regularly bicycle-bird the Sammamish Trail between Marymoor County
Park and Lake Forest Park or Log Boom Park (closed at this time for sewer
construction), plus a side trip up the trail along North Creek past the
wetland restoration near the UW Bothell campus. On Saturday October 7, it
was very cool and foggy when we started on the trail at 7:30 a.m. Needless
to say, our glasses quickly fogged up, and we had to do our birding by ear.
I finally had to take my glasses down to be able to see the trail very well,
and I certainly could not see the ducks in the Sammamish River; but the Song
Sparrows and Bewick's Wrens made their presence known, along with Red-winged
Blackbirds, Steller's Jays, Northern Flickers, Pileated Woodpeckers,
Black-capped Chickadees, and others.
It was sunny by the time we reached Lake Forest Park, so the return trip
was made in bright sunlight, and hands and toes warmed up quickly. We
managed to see two birds that we have never seen before from the trail.
While taking the North Creek wetland side trip, after watching a Muskrat
swimming in the creek, we saw an American Kestrel flying over the grassy
meadow below the U.W. buildings. We were headed downhill at this point as
the Kestrel flew by us heading the opposite direction. We can't be sure
whether it was male or female. The other quite exciting observation occurred
just before the trail to the "still being developed" wetland along the east
side of the trail near Redmond, there in the rather weedy section of the
Sammamish River (reminds me of the River Donau in Germany), Bill spotted a
duck with a red head. The bank of the river is open through here, so that
the ducks can easily be spotted. We quickly stopped and got out our
binoculars. It turned out to be a beautiful pair of Eurasian Wigeon, the
male's red head gleaming in the sunlight. His white "bald pate" had not yet
become as prominent as it will be when he has truly exited his eclipse
stage, but what a handsome duck! It was our first sighting along the
Sammamish River Trail of Eurasian Wigeon.
Also, the new wetland on the east side of the trail is a favorite spot
for Killdeer. We can always count on seeing several perusing the edges of
the large pond there. Canada Geese graze the grassy spots, and ducks will
enjoy the ponds as soon as our fall rains begin. The Sammamish River itself,
as well as North Creek, was full of splashing, bright-red Salmon of all
sizes, and people were stopping to watch wherever a view of the river
presented itself. All-in all, a great 35 miles of bicycle-birding.

Erin Woods
Woods Tree Farm
Redmond, Washington