Subject: [Tweeters] Magnuson Park, 28 June 2012
Date: Jun 28 12:19:35 2012
From: lsr at ramoslink.info - lsr at ramoslink.info
Finally, a summer-like day, actually pretty much perfect weather-wise. But
the numbers of some species seemed way down. Only a handful of swallows and
swifts, no vireos, no warblers other than Common Yellowthroat. But, other
species were well-represented by this year's graduating class. Dozens of
House Finch made this the most abundant species for the day. Several
species were feeding or teaching young birds, including American Robin,
Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Bewick's Wren, plus a Song Sparrow
feeding a Brown-headed Cowbird. Yet, there were also Robins, Wrens and
White-crowned Sparrows carrying around nesting material.
The Lazuli Bunting male is still around and acting very territorial. The
female hasn't been seen for few weeks so hopefully she is sitting eggs or
babies. A couple of recently-fledged Bullock's Orioles were out feeding in
the same area as the Bunting. When I approached Frog Pond, a group of
Virginia Rail must have been startled as several birds started screaming at
once, with some scurrying about in the reeds; there must be a family group
there now.
Other notables included Spotted Sandpiper at Crescent Pond, Band-tailed
Pigeons flying over Promontory Pt, a single Caspian tern fly-over, and a
small raft of California Gull out in the lake.
It appears that there may be 3 families of Barn Owl this year, 2 of them
finally occupying the nest boxes put up by Emily Bishton a while ago. There
were at least 2 young hissing from inside the tower while 2 adults were
perched in a hemlock and a maple tree adjacent to the building. Another
adult was hissing, and quite visible, from the box adjacent the housing
authority building and another was perched on the box attached to the
community center building. These 3 nests are all within about a 100 m
radius.
Good birding.
Scott Ramos
Seattle