Hi Tweets,

Stan Wood and I birded with 4 others at Eastside Audubon's monthly bird walk at Lake Sammamish State Park on Apr 29, 2013, from 8 am to noon. Weather-wise, there was steady, medium rain till about 10:30 am., then sunshine!, light winds and temps in the mid to high 40s (43-48 F). HIGHLIGHTS: the 3 escaped SWAN GEESE are still there; 15 WESTERN GREBES remain on the lake; 1 OSPREY; 7 BALD EAGLES of various ages are the most we've seen at one time; 1 NORTHERN HARRIER; 1 COOPER'S HAWK; 1 LEAST SANDPIPER; 1 BAND-TAILED PIGEON; 1 female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was nest building (great scope views); 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS--even though an area of the bank of Issaquah Creek is badly eroding and sloughing off into the creek, the pair likely have a nest nearby based on recent observations by Ken and Stan; 1 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER; 6 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS; 2 WARBLING VIREOS; a 5 SWALLOW morning (no Bank); 1 PACIFIC WREN singing in the Cottonwood forest; 7 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS with one showing us his orange crown; lots and lots of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (both types); 2 WILSON'S WARBLERS; 1 CHIPPING SPARROW; 12 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS still remain; and 4 PURPLE FINCH singing their warbly song. For the day, 58 species (+2 other taxa); 89 for the year. The next bird walk is May 13. No pre-registration, just show up depending on your mood or the weather. Since this is a state park, a Discover Pass is necessary to park ($10 daily, $30 annual). We meet in the large parking lot to the left just inside the main park entrance (not the boat launch entrance).

Sharon Aagaard
Bellevue WA
scormieraa001 at hotmail.com