Hi Tweeters,

I led a field trip to the Montlake Fill (Union Bay Natural Area) this morning
(9-11-10), and the participants were treated to one of the most active days for
birds that I've ever had here. We took almost 4 hours for the walk because we
kept on getting stopped by warbler chips and more. Participant highlights
ranged from American Kestrel (a Fill first for me) and Green Heron to great
looks at Yellow Warbler, Osprey, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, and Northern
Flicker.

Our group ended up recording 61 species, and there was more than that around,
too, including several sightings I think Connie Sidles will share later.

Highlights for me were:

- 2 Green Heron juvs at main pond
- 6 raptor-day, in addition to the Kestrel were a quick flyby Merlin, Bald
Eagle, Osprey, and Cooper's + Red-tailed Hawk
- 1 Western Grebe out on lake
- Band-tailed Pigeon
- 6 warbler species, including Black-throated Gray at Surber, and also
Orange-crowned, Yellow, Wilson's, Yellow-rumped, and Common Yellowthroat. Also
a Western Tanager, Warbling Vireo, and Western Wood-pewee
- Red-breasted Nuthatch, an uncommon visitor, at Surber

A couple of the common species posed for decent digiscoped pictures, link here
for one of the pics, the 2 others are the 2 newer ones in the photostream:
http://tinyurl.com/2bslcoc


A great map of the Fill is here:
http://constancypress.com/publications/inmynature/fill/

Below my sign-off, I have pasted in the full list, with approximate numbers,
from eBird, for those interested.

Good birding,
Evan Houston
Seattle, WA

Canada Goose 15
Wood Duck 5
Gadwall 50
American Wigeon 5
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 10
Green-winged Teal 5
Ring-necked Duck 12
Common Merganser 1 flyover Surber - a male
Pied-billed Grebe 10 1 still on nest near Yesler Cove
Western Grebe 1 out on lake
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 3
Green Heron 2 juvs chasing each other at main pond, squawking in flight
Osprey 1 nice flyover
Bald Eagle 1 maybe a 1st year bird
Cooper's Hawk 2 2 at Swamp overlook
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1 nice flyover soaring at Surber, at first I thought
accipiter due to small size and quick wingbeat, but then I noticed consistently
pointed wingtips and reddish tail - a Fill first for me!
Merlin 1 quick flyby all the goldfinches
Virginia Rail 3 calling
American Coot 15
Killdeer 6 flyover
Glaucous-winged Gull 5
Rock Pigeon 5 flyby
Band-tailed Pigeon 5 perched for us
Vaux's Swift 20
Anna's Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Empidonax sp. 1 probably a Pac-slope but view not quite good enough
Warbling Vireo 1
Steller's Jay 10
American Crow 40
Violet-green Swallow 1 heard calling in swallow flock
Barn Swallow 15
Black-capped Chickadee 10
Bushtit 20
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 calling from Surber
Brown Creeper 2
Bewick's Wren 10
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 10
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 15
Orange-crowned Warbler 2 Surber area
Yellow Warbler 2 swamp area and point area
Yellow-rumped Warbler 6
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 nice calling male that gave quick views in
conifer treetops at Surber
Common Yellowthroat 5
Wilson's Warbler 1 swamp area
Spotted Towhee 2
Savannah Sparrow 15
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 4
White-crowned Sparrow 8
Western Tanager 1 calling female actually posed for distant scope views
Red-winged Blackbird 10
House Finch 15
American Goldfinch 50