Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park Report (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2012-12-13
Date: Dec 13 22:12:09 2012
From: Michael Hobbs - birdmarymoor at frontier.com


Tweets ? it was overcast, but with no precipitation after 7:00 a.m., and no wind, and fairly warm, so it made for a pleasant December outing. Nothing much really unusual showed up. We did pretty well, especially given that everybody?s minds seemed to be on CBCs, travel, holidays, and other things today :)

Highlights:

There were 1200-1500 CACKLING GEESE that spent the day on the grass soccer fields. At one point, an adult BALD EAGLE flew NW from down near the lake, passing over the fields. All the geese took off, but the eagle seemed not to notice them at all. The flock also contained four GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.

We had one WESTERN GREBE well out on the lake. They?re much more prevalent at Lake Samm State Park.

After three straight weeks without a Coop, and two weeks without a Sharpie, we had at least 3-4 accipiters today, with both SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER?S HAWK represented.

AMERICAN COOTS in the slough numbered 80-100, which is the most we?ve had at the park since April of 2007. The last time I recorded more than 25 birds was in November, 2009, where I noted 50.

We managed 4 species of WOODPECKERS, with all of the usuals except Pileated.

We had 1-2 VARIED THRUSH amongst the numerous Robins near the mansion.

RED CROSSBILLS were again numerous around the mansion area, and at the Rowing Club. My estimate of 25 was probably conservative. PINE SISKINS were very numerous, but the relatively few flocks that landed close to us did not appear to contain any redpolls.

At the Rowing Club, there was one TURTLE (a RED-EARED SLIDER) pulled out on a log, only the second time I?ve noted a turtle in December.

Big misses for the day included Ring-billed Gull (though none of the gull flocks landed for our perusal), Northern Shrike (just the 2nd time this winter we?ve missed them), Marsh Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, and Purple Finch.

Even so, we managed 56 species. That doesn?t include a ?large owl? (probably Great Horned) that Matt had early, nor the possible Northern Saw-whet Owls that teased Matt and Josh separately in the pre-dawn. (We did have at least 2 BARN OWLS though).

== Michael Hobbs
== www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== BirdMarymoor at frontier.com