Subject: [Tweeters] SAS Snoqualmie Valley Field Trip 5/25/13
Date: May 25 18:51:14 2013
From: Carl Haynie - hayncarl at gmail.com


Hi Tweets,

Today, Scott Ramos and I led a pleasant Seattle Audubon Society field trip
to the Snoqualmie Valley. We spent most of our time in the Stillwater Unit
of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area but also visited nearby Moss Lake Natural
Area, McCormick Park in Duvall for lunch, the Monroe Prison Farm Pond, and
Crescent Lake in that order.

At Stillwater, we began the morning getting wonderful looks at Red-breasted
Sapsucker and scope views of Marsh Wren and Western Wood-Pewee. Virginia
Rails were calling from the marsh. Good numbers of Lazuli Buntings were
encountered both at Stillwater and, later, on the power line above a hedge
at the Monroe Prison Farm Pond. The bend in the Snoqualmie river at
Stillwater had a pair of Common Mergansers, Spotted Sandpipers on the rock
bar, and at least 8 Bank Swallows were coming and going from nest holes in
the river bank (plenty of Northern Rough-winged Swallows were available for
nice comparison). A flock of Band-tailed Pigeons flew by as did a single
Evening Grosbeak. Perhaps most amazing, however, was a flock of 20 Red
Crossbills alighting in a nearby deciduous tree as we contemplated our next
moves near the river's edge.

Moss Lake had singing Olive-sided and Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Wilson's
Warblers, Western Tanagers, Swainson's Thrushes, and Pacific Wrens as well
as a calling Pileated Woodpecker.

The Monroe Prison Farm Pond proved to be a nice change of pace for us with
great looks at Ruddy Ducks, Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal, Eurasian
Collared-Doves, numerous Vaux's Swifts, and all six species of swallows.
The Trumpeter Swan was back in the main pond after having lounged at
nearby Crescent Lake the last few days.

All told, we enjoyed some 73 species for the day.

Carl Haynie
Sammamish, WA
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