Subject: [Tweeters] North Creek Park 4/23 - Western Kingbird,
Date: Apr 24 08:15:49 2012
From: Josh Adams - xjoshx at gmail.com


Hello all,
As I?ve mentioned before, I?ve been walking North Creek Park just
south of Mill Creek in Snohomish County the last few weeks in an
effort to see some new birds and expand the eBird data on this
hotspot. Up until this week things have been pretty average with
little worth sending an email about. In fact, after last week?s dismal
numbers (22 species) I almost decided to skip yesterday figuring the
hot weather would keep numbers down in the afternoon. I ended up being
very glad I didn?t.

The day started very quietly and expectedly with Marsh Wren?s and
Red-Wing Blackbirds singing away in the cattails. My first good bird
of the day was an Orange-Crowned Warbler working through a tree next
to the south spur. I got my FOY Orange-Crowned up on Salt Spring
Island, BC last weekend while waiting for a ferry, but have
consistently been unable to get one in my home Country/State/County so
it was a nice find. A pair of American Goldfinches were also soon
found in the same tree and even a Pine Siskin showed up for a moment.
Moments later I was trying to place some shuffling in the thick brush
right by the trail thinking I might get a Virginia Rail when to my
surprise an American Bittern took to the air not five feet from the
trail.

Moving down the Boardwalk I finally was able to confirm Common
Yellowthroat, a species I had tried hard for last week but couldn?t
confirm. They were actually quite numerous this week, even providing
me with a decent photo opportunity. The Swallows that were so
concentrated the last few weeks must have must have expanded their
range with the improved weather, but there were still three species
(Tree, Violet-Green and Barn) making the rounds. I also had a
Red-Tailed Hawk and one of the Bald Eagles that are nesting in the
park fly over.

The north spur off the main boardwalk gave me a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet,
Rufus Hummingbird, BC Chickadee, Bewick?s Wren and a lone male
Wilson?s Warbler. The Wilson?s is not only my first of the year, but
appears to be the first Snohomish County siting on eBird.

The north end of the park was by far the most productive. Canada
Geese, Mallards, Green-Wing Teal, and American Wigeon continued to be
present. One of Mallards had a fresh clutch of seven chicks. I had
seen at least one species of shorebird fly away from me a few weeks
ago (besides the Killdeer that have been conspicuous), but couldn?t
get an identity. This week I had the same issue, but I was able to get
a photo of one bird in flight which I?m appears to be Short-Billed
Dowitcher and another very cooperative bird that appears to be Lesser
Yellowlegs. Best of all was a bird I hadn?t seen before hawking
insects from the top of a row of trees. When I saw a flash of bright
yellow on its belly and distinct black tail I knew it was a new
species for me: Western Kingbird! A moment later I saw another bird
with a yellow belly, Western Meadowlark. There was also a pair of
Kingfishers actively fishing.

On my way back to my car I got my fourth Warbler of the day, a
Yellow-Rumped that I only got a brief look at in the same tree that
I?d seen the Orange-Crowned.

I scoped the Eagle?s nest but couldn?t see any sign of chicks. They?ve
been sitting on the nest for at least a month now.

Western Meadowlark, Lesser Yellowlegs, Western Kingbird, Bewick?s
Wren, and Orange Crowned Warbler have never been reported in the park
on eBird and Western Kingbird was a lifer for me.

The entire species list and counts are up here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S10532205

I uploaded some of the better photos to my Flickr account. I would
appreciate any ID input that could be given to the Lesser Yellowlegs
ID.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beastofexmoor/

Josh Adams
Lynnwood, WA