Tweets -

Brian Bell & I led today's Marymoor walk in place of Michael Hobbs and had a good day. 11 participants joined for the day.
Early on, the rains kicked up -- never too hard, but it took us by surprise and kept many of us soggy for the day. By the end of the walk, we had some blue skies and even an occasional shadow appearing.

Birds were showing signs of being well into summer season -- singing was down from previous weeks and the bird number [influenced by the weather too] were lower. We saw several young birds --baby Mallards, baby Wood Ducks, baby Common Mergansers, young Pine Siskins and young Great Blue Herons.

Notable sightings:

Great Blue Heron - it seemed that several of the nests in the heronry were empty -- some young herons still on the nest, but fewer than before, showing signs of [hopefully] fledging.

Purple Martin - a pair was at the gourds at the lake viewing platform - female on the crossbar, male in a gourd -- first time they've been there for us this year. Tree Swallows were still in one of the other adjacent gourds.

Hammond's Flycatcher - one heard and seen by some over at the Rowing Club -- seems late to have them around unless there's a nesting possibility in the area.

Bullock's Oriole - a pair in the heronry cottonwoods - probably a nest up there now.

Lazuli Bunting - one male out early by the soccer fields

plenty of singing Black-headed Grosbeaks, Willow Flycatchers, Swainson's Thrush, and a smattering of Yellow Warblers & Warbling Vireos made up the main summer suite of birds.

notable misses for the day would include : Hairy Woodpecker, Rock Pigeon, Black Swift [looked like a perfect day for them], only 2 Canada Geese.

59 species for the day, with nothing new for the year. Earlier this week though, Eastern and Western Kingbirds were seen at the park, adding to the year total.

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA