Wow ? some days are just stupendous. It was fairly warm (43 degrees predawn, and I think it warmed some), overcast, windless, and even some sun breaks. Good birds were distinctly NOT few and far between. We ended up with a great species total, and it was clear that we missed out on at least a few more.

Highlights: (FOF=First Of Fall)

TRUMPETER SWAN(?) Two flew south, silent. Tundra would be less likely
Gadwall Two in the slough, seen from RC dock ? FOF
Northern Shoveler Flyby flock of 8
Northern Harrier Male over East Meadow before 8 a.m.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK At sunrise, East Meadow and continued NW
Merlin Two sightings, 2nd time at Rowing Club
DUNLIN 1 at least thought of landing on grass soccer fields
Barn Owl At least 2, as late as 7:20 a.m.
SHORT-EARED OWL Mixing it up with Barn Owls ? East Meadow
Northern Shrike 2 again ? East Meadow + north of fields 7-8-9
Common Raven 1 heard
Varied Thrush 1 seen by several people, Dog Meadow edge
American Pipit Several flyovers
AM. TREE SPARROW Sharon AGAIN saw one, Compost Pile area
WH.-THR. SPARROW One with other sparrows, below weir
WESTERN MEADOWLARK 1 at Compost Piles just before 8 a.m.

We had a very large flock of geese, distantly seen, that were probably CACKLING GEESE, but it was WAY too far off.

Accipiter identification can be difficult, but we had great looks at one bird that was probably a Cooper?s Hawk, but it managed to show such an array of seemingly conflicting features that we left it as either Shooper?s or Carpie. Other accipiters were more easily identifiable as COOPER?S. With the NOHA, RLHA, MERL, COHA, plus BALD EAGLE and RED-TAILED HAWK, we had a 6 raptor day.

AMERICAN ROBINS were present in the hundreds. SPOTTED TOWHEES, while much less numerous, were seen notably more than typical.

Lots of singing from RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW.

We found one LEUCISTIC HOUSE FINCH at the Compost Piles ? strikingly ghostly.

For the day, 66 species. The combined list for the last 2 weeks: at least 79 species! For the year, we?re up over 150.

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