Tweets - Another really nice day at Marymoor. It was sunny, warm enough
that we started with sweaters and the sweaters came off by mid-morning, but
not so hot that it was uncomfortable. It was entirely windless, which
proved useful, as any disturbed leaf meant a bird.

We're on the cusp of the change of seasons, and we had quite a few "summer"
birds, and a few "winter" arrivals as well. It was pretty birdy, though if
there were rarities, we managed to (maybe just) miss them.

Highlights:

Pied-billed Grebe First since April - a juvenile
Northern Harrier 1 over Dog Meadow - later 2 soaring
Long-billed Dowitcher Matt and Scott had 2 fly by early
Warbling Vireo Still a couple around
American Pipit Several fly-overs
Bl.-thr. Gray Warbler Quite a few, good looks
Townsend's Warbler 2-3, not-so-good looks
Western Tanager Still 1, at the Rowing Club
Fox Sparrow First of Fall - at least 2
Lincoln's Sparrow First of Fall - at least 4
G.-crowned Sparrow First of Fall - 2
Bl.-headed Grosbeak 2-4 still around
Evening Grosbeak Many heard, a few glimpsed

This was our first summer ever without PIED-BILLED GREBES at least
attempting to nest. It's been strange not to see them, and nice to have a
fall return.

The LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS are only the second sighting ever for that
species, and the first came earlier this year.

We had no flycatchers, but we did have 5 species of warbler (Orange-crowned,
Yellow-rumped, and Common Yellowthroat as well as the two noted above), and
eight species of sparrow (the other five being Spotted Towhee, Savannah,
Song, White-crowned, and Dark-eyed Junco). And actually, John Tubbs
reported FOX SPARROW last Friday, so today's weren't exactly the First of
Fall.

The EVENING GROSBEAKS were obnoxious beasts. Matt and I kept calling out
"Evening Grosbeaks, somewhere, flying towards us it sounds like" and then -
nothing. Once, though, when I led 2/3s of the group one way and Matt led
the rest the other way, Matt actually saw a few fly overhead.

The AMERICAN PIPITS were almost as bad, but I did at least glimpse them a
couple of times. Nothing satisfactory though.

The HORNED LARK was worse. In the early morning, Matt thought he heard one
or more, but couldn't verify. Later, as we were working the north end of
the Dog Meadow, he swore he saw one amongst some Savannah Sparrows. He
called for all of us to come see, but there was naught but Savannahs. Nor
did anyone hear a Horned Lark's flight call if it departed. So he kind of
threw up his hands, and we're not counting HOLA for the day.

Even so, we managed 64 species.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net