I knew it was going to be a good day when the first bird I heard, driving by the ponds, was a SORA. And with temps in the 40s and 50s, mostly sunny skies and calm winds, Amy Schillinger and I had much good fortune with many first of year birds and lots of singing and nest building going on.

A few waterfowl remain, including a handful each of Ring-necked Duck, Lesser and Greater Scaup, and Common Goldeneye. Two Common Loon (one east, one north) were present as were a Horned and a Red-necked Grebe, both in full breeding plumage, but just a few Western Grebe. A Great Blue Heron was patrolling the NOAA north shore.

Only two raptors: a Cooper?s Hawk bombed out of Promontory Point?we couldn?t see what it was after; and Red-tailed Hawk was soaring the thermals at the north end.

There were at least 5 Virginia Rail calling in 5 different locations, two of the giving the kiddick call. We could not relocate the Sora, however. Three different Wilson?s Snipe flushed from the meadows

On the swim platform was a nice collection: in among the 50+ Mew Gull and a few Ring-billed and Glaucous-winged Gulls, were two CASPIAN TERN and a BONAPARTE?S GULL. Another BOGU was out in the middle of the lake, showing a fully black head.

At the north end of the park was the greatest concentration of swallows. Joining the dozens of Violet-green and Trees were a handful of BARN SWALLOW and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW.

We found 3 Bushtit nests; one was quiet but the other two were in active construction. We also heard, and eventually saw, 3 singing Orange-crowned Warblers, in 3 different parts of the park. There may have been a fourth just south of the park boundary in Windermere. Several COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were about and we had many brightly colored Yellow-rumped warblers: at least 3 Myrtle and a dozen Audubon?s plus a Myrtle-Audubon?s hybrid. Other nests found included American Robin, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and Marsh Wren.

On the east side of Kite Hill at the road?s edge, while chasing one of the OCWA and some chupping California Quail, a CHIPPING SPARROW popped into view giving us great looks at its bright rufous cap. We counted at least 9 Lincoln?s Sparrows today, mostly in groups of 2, some of them singing. Finally, a HERMIT THRUSH popped up for good views near the North Lagoon.

For the day, 68 species; with 8 FOY birds, 91 species for the year.
Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17843169
Scott Ramos
Seattle