Hi Tweets:
I birded at Des Moines Creek Park this morning in the sunshine. Our OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER is back and gorgeous in the sun this morning about 10am. He has come back for several years. He likes to hang out in the trees and dead trees in Des Moines Creek Park, near the steps just upstream from the water treatment plant. He still isn't singing Quick Three Beers, but I heard him give a few pyup calls on May 9. Couldn't see him then.
The abundant Pac-slope Flycatchers are finally singing, and not just giving their single note. The 4 locally-common spp of warblers are singing in the woods, and most were visible today except for the Black-throated Gray Warblers which were singing but hiding. No Cedar Waxwings yet to distract me, but the Audubon's Yellow-rumps are distraction enough. Their numbers have finally thinned out. A Yellow Warbler was foraging in the mature maples in the catkins, just like the butter butts do. I heard at least 8 Orange-crowned Warblers singing, and saw several.
A gorgeous male Western Tanager was perched right at the steps near where I saw the perched OS Flycatcher. I'm still am not really hearing WW Pewees, but thought I saw one briefly on May 9. Not hearing any Swainson's Thrushes yet. A dark-morph Redtailed Hawk was soaring over the woods and creek. Two dark-morphs have been trying to nest in Des Moines Creek Park, but I don't think the nesting was successful. The two Red-tails are still in the area.
A lot of people were jogging or walking their dogs this morning. But the birds came out anyway in the sunshine. Isn't May great?
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines (a town south of SeaTac Airport)
carol.schulz50 at gmail