This morning at Juanita Bay Park a female Brewer's Blackbird made a
brief appearance. It was between the boardwalks, but after posing for
a few pictures flew high into the air heading south. I've only had
one other sighting of the species here during hundreds of visits in
the past twelve or so years, though I remember a small flock that hung
around the park back in the mid-late nineties before I was keeping
notes on my sightings.

Also, the Western Screech-Owl that's been roosting along the east
boardwalk was in its usual perch today. It sits in the old
ivy-covered weeping willow at the end of a large limb that extends to
the left, as viewed from halfway between the first two bends in the
boardwalk. Please don't play recordings or otherwise harass it. It's
buried in vegetation so really not a good photo subject, but is a
fairly unique opportunity to see one during the day. It has been
there most days.

Out in the bay there are a few Common Loons in breeding plumage that
have been calling quite a bit. Pied-billed, Western, Red-necked, and
Horned Grebes have been around as well. Duck numbers are dwindling
but there are still Buffleheads, scaup, a few Common Goldeneye, and
today a pair of Green-winged Teal, in addition to the Gadwall,
Mallards and Wood Ducks that nest in the park.

Swallows have been in the bay daily, though I haven't seen more than a
few hundred at any given time. Today there were several Cliff and
Barn Swallows mixed in with a few dozen Tree and hundreds of
Violet-greens. Red-breasted Sapsuckers have been vocal and visible
throughout the park recently. I've usually been seeing multiple
birds, even in relatively quick visits. Rufous Hummingbirds are back
in the east half of the park. In most years Common Yellowthroats
would have returned by now, so I've been surprised not to see or hear
one yet. A Savannah Sparrow was near the boardwalks one day last
week. They only show up in the park as migrants, but should be around
in very small numbers the next month or so. A Western Meadowlark was
around a couple weeks ago, though unfortunately I wasn't there that
day to see it. There were two Evening Grosbeaks along Forbes Creek
Drive today in the same area where I saw two a couple weeks ago.

Ryan Merrill
Kirkland