Things have really quieted down at the park. Most of the breeding is done
and the families must be moving on. Maybe the heat is also having an
effect, as it is doing on the two-legged folk.

Hardly any Savannah Sparrows, and the numbers of American Goldfinch and
House Finch are way down. On the other hand, juvenile White-crowned
Sparrows are popping up everywhere. Only a single Barn Swallow, though
there were several Vaux's Swift. Lots of whit calls from the Willow
Flycatchers, but only one fitz-bew heard all morning. A silent
Pacific-slope Flycatcher was deep in the trees on Promontory Point, and a
Wilson's Warbler (maybe two) was foraging on the bluff there. A Cedar
Waxwing nest still has at least two begging chicks.

A Barn Owl was out hunting in the east meadow early. A pair of Cooper's
Hawks were flying around together; at least one was still unbanded. Several
birds, including an Anna's Hummingbird, chased one of them out of the
wetlands where they have been doing a lot of hunting recently. Speaking of
Anna's, there were well over a dozen and could be seen all through the
park. Saw 1 juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird being fed by a Spotted Towhee and
another fed by a pair of Song Sparrow.

Lot's of California Quail, a few with immatures in tow; some were in the
wetlands but most below Kite Hill. The gulls are back in large numbers,
covering the swim platform. Mostly Ring-billed and California, and half
were first-year birds. No mud is left in most of the wetland ponds; where
there is water, it is loaded with scum. The only shorebirds were a small
group of Killdeer flocking with Rock Pigeon over the ball fields.

Compensating for the low bird numbers, Blue-eyed Darner are all over the
park, well into the hundreds and many seen in tandem. These hunters were
out well before dawn as well.

Scott Ramos
Seattle