Tweets - I just got back from Europe yesterday, and used jet lag to my
advantage in getting to the park by 3:30 this morning. It was glorious,
with an almost-full moon, Saturn and Venus to the east, clear skies, and
ghostly fog all over the meadows. At the NE corner of Lake Sammamish, the
PURPLE MARTINS were chorusing loudly from their nest boxes. Then I climbed
as high as I could at the Compost Piles and was able to see a BARN OWL.
Eventually, I was able to find Matt Bartels in the fog at the model airplane
field (his first appearance at one of my walks was 10 years ago yesterday).

On the walk itself, we battled the fog for the first couple of hours. Fog
in sunshine becomes completely opaque, so it was a bit hard to see some of
the birds early. Then the fog burned off, and the morning warmed up from
the 45 degrees we had at 5:30.

Highlights:

Green Heron 1 look, 1 glimpse
MERLIN Flew over the lake platform; swallows were
upset
black wing-tipped gull One at about 5:45 a.m. over the mansion
Hairy Woodpecker One flew overhead
Pac.-slope Flycatcher One was seen near Dog Area portapotty
Cassin's Vireo One singing near 2nd dog swim beach
Red-eyed Vireo At least two singing, one seen
Purple Martin Male going into gourd, besides ones heard
earlier
Or.-crowned Warbler Uncommon at this time of year
Y.-rumped Warbler At least 2 near mansion
Bullock's Oriole One near 3rd dog swim beach

The MERLIN was probably the biggest surprise, as we've never had one before
during the late May->mid July timeframe. In fact, including all of May,
June, July, and August, we've only had 10 previous sightings, mostly around
the end of July through the beginning of August.

With WARBLING VIREO too, it was nice to have a 3 vireo day.

Lots of babies (including Brown-headed Cowbird young being tended by Song
Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows). Lots of activity at the heronry,
including two juveniles tussling: "You're on my side of the nest", etc.

For the day, 61 species.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at frontier.com