Hi Tweeters,

I led a Seattle Audubon field trip to the Montlake Fill in Seattle, WA this morning. My nice group of participants enjoyed a nice variety of Fill regulars. The only non-winter species observed was Tree Swallow, though lots of singing was going on from at least 10 different passerine species, and nesting activity was also observed. Highlights included:

Killdeer - on a nest in the dime lot, incubation exchange observed
Cedar Waxwing - 1 by SW pond strafed my head and landed at the top of a tree about 10 feet above us for amazing views
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1 gave our group great extended looks near the Corp. yard
Bushtit - pair w/ female gathering nesting material
Brown Creeper - pair hanging out at large tree in SE portion of Surber Grove, perhaps they'll attempt to nest?

We were happy with the lack of rain, but could have done without the chilly breeze and chop on the lake. A cumulative group list from eBird.org , with approximate numbers, is below. A great map of the Fill is at:

http://constancypress.com/publications/inmynature/fill/

Good birding,
Evan Houston
Seattle, WA

eBird list:

Location: Union Bay Natural Area (Montlake Fill)
Observation date: 3/13/10
Notes: SAS trip to Fill from 7:30 to 10:30<br>weather was partly cloudy but a bit breezy and chop on lake<br>nothing too unusual, but lots of nice looks<br>about 10 participants with group
Number of species: 49

Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 2 short stubby bills and steep foreheads and darker breasts and good comparisons w/ nearby small Canadas
Canada Goose 15 some large, some Lesser
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 100
Mallard 20
Northern Shoveler 15
Green-winged Teal 15
Ring-necked Duck 5
Lesser Scaup 1 female in lagoon gave nice looks
Bufflehead 10
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 12 lots of herons, how many will nest nearby?
Bald Eagle 4 2 juvs + up to 2 ad., ad was working on adding stick to nest
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 50
Killdeer 3 a likely pair interacting on Dime Lot (one submissively positioning on ground while other chased it around, another on nest, and nest exchange observed
Mew Gull 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 5
Rock Pigeon 2
Anna's Hummingbird 6
Downy Woodpecker 1 female
Northern Flicker 5
Steller's Jay 2
American Crow 25
Tree Swallow 5
Black-capped Chickadee 12
Bushtit 10 1 pair was collecting nesting material
Brown Creeper 2 pair in Surber Grove, will they nest?
Bewick's Wren 10
Winter Wren (Western) 2
Marsh Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 nice singing
American Robin 15
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 2 awesome look after it landed right above our heads to feed in a berry tree
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1
Spotted Towhee 5
Fox Sparrow 1 nice looks Surber Grove
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 outstandingly good looks at 1 bird
White-crowned Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Brewer's Blackbird 2 m-f pair at helipad w/ male "singing", may have been more
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5