Tweets - oh how nice it was today. Cold to start, but sunny. The thin fog
burned off quickly, and while some thin, high overcast persisted, we could
see our shadows all morning. It was pleasant AND good birding and spring is
actually beginning to happen.

Highlights:

Ring-necked Duck Males with rings very visible at RC
Horned Grebe One mostly in breeding plumage
Red-tailed Hawk Must be on eggs on odd snag nest
Barn Owl Must be on eggs in nest box
Western Screech-Owl Heard from within park, to the west
GREAT HORNED OWL Perched low and in the open in Dog Area
Rufous Hummingbird Heard 2-4 birds, never got a look
Red-breasted Sapsucker One drumming near start of boardwalk
Downy Woodpecker Two near start of boardwalk
Hairy Woodpecker Northeast of boardwalk
Northern Shrike Seen in model airplane field
American Crow With nest materials near mansion
American Robin With nest materials near mansion
Varied Thrush Heard near mansion
Yellow-rumped Warbler Some were singing
Townsend's Warbler South side of mansion
SAVANNAH SPARROW First of spring, Compost Piles

The GREAT HORNED OWL spent the entire morning low in a Red Alder a bit east
northeast of the weir. See the blog for photos.

When we were at the lake, Sharon thought she'd seen a HORNED GREBE. It
disappeared before we could verify. So at the end of our walk, I visited
the cabana for another look. While there, I had great looks at a pair of
HOODED MERGANSER, as well as three COMMON MERGANSER. And, with my scope, I
was able to find a HORNED GREBE about half-way into breeding plumage. It
would have been visible from the lake platform, but would probably have
required a scope for ID.

Sharon saw a LONG-TAILED WEASEL near the South Lot kiosk. Some people
watched an EASTERN COTTONTAIL get precariously close to the Great Horned
Owl. There were both a RED-EARED SLIDER and a PAINTED TURTLE sunning
themselves at the Rowing Club.

New for 2009 were HORNED GREBE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, and
SAVANNAH SPARROW. In addition, I saw a male NORTHERN HARRIER last Sunday.

So for today, we were at an even 60 species. For the year, we're up to 94
species.

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