Subject: [Tweeters] Discovery Park- Townsend's Solitaire, Parasitic Jaeger,
Date: Sep 3 13:39:48 2006
From: AJ - bluejay at surfbirder.com


Hello Everyone,

Alan Grenon and I had a nice morning at Discovery park. We started at
the South Parking Lot where a fine assortment of birds greeted us right
out of the car- lots of warblers, sparrows, finches, etc- best were 5
species of warbler (Orange-crowned, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Townsend's
and Black-throated Gray), 5+ Western Tanager, a small group of Evening
Grosbeaks, several Purple Finches, and 3 Townsend's Solitaires. Overhead
were several Purple Martins. The large snowberry patch near the NW
corner of the South Meadow was still blooming and attracting a good
number of both Rufous and Anna's Hummingbirds. More Purple Finches were
seen here as well as a group of 15 or so Pine Siskins (nice to see these
guys after a long absence in the western WA lowlands) and Cedar Waxwings
all attracted by bitter cherry. We ended up at South Beach during low
tide- a few shorebirds were present- Semipalmated Plover, Least
Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and Sanderling. One Parasitic Jaeger was
energetically chasing Bonaparte's Gulls right off shore and a Western
Kingbird was found flycatching around the buildings near the lighthouse.
Other birds of note around the park included at least 4 Cooper's Hawks-
two immatures at the South Meadow were loosely associating (local
breeding?), 4 Surf Scoters flying by the lighthouse point, and migrating
Steller's Jays (group of at least 10) in the poplars at the lighthouse.

Good Birding! Alan

--
Alan J. Knue
bluejay at surfbirder.com

Seattle, WA, USA