One problem with writing the Tweeters post soon after the walk is that I haven?t had a nap yet. Thus, I forgot to mention the LONG-TAILED WEASEL (I know, not a bird, but it preys on them), which was pretty high up in an Oregon Ash tree near the south end of the Dog Meadow. At first I thought it was a Douglas Squirrel (a species we?ve only had three times at Marymoor), but then it came out into the open near the trunk, and we got great looks at the weasel romping around and poking its nose into any likely looking nook or hole as it made its way down the tree. At one point it was hassled by an American Robin which took a flying swipe at the weasel.

= Michael

From: Michael Hobbs
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2014 1:56 PM
To: Tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2014-08-07

Tweets ? we had a really nice morning; comfortable temps, white clouds and blue skies, no wind, and some good birds.

Highlights:

RED-NECKED GREBE Two at lake
Great Blue Heron One nest still has 2 babies. 2nd clutch?
Green Heron Juvenile at Rowing Club pond
Barn Owl Good looks after 5 a.m. from Viewing Mound
Red-breasted Sapsucker Matt & I saw one, NW corner of Dog Meadow
Pileated Woodpecker One or more; several looks / hearings
AMERICAN KESTREL One over Rowing Club
Purple Martin A couple overhead
Tree Swallow Still 2 around; adult and juvie, I believe
Orange-crowned Warbler One, south end of Dog Meadow
Bl.-throated Gray Warbler One, south end of Dog Meadow
Wilson?s Warbler Young male, south end of Dog Meadow
Western Tanager Female / juvenile, south end of East Meadow
Evening Grosbeak Heard overhead

Our earliest prior fall RED-NECKED GREBE was August 31 (2007), and our latest spring bird was May 28 (1998), so August 7 is a very unusual date for this species at Marymoor. It?s also just our 19th sighting of the species at the park.

Similarly, the AMERICAN KESTREL was the earliest fall sighting for this species; our previous first fall date being August 18 (1994).

This was also an early fall date for EVENING GROSBEAK.

Conversely, we?ve only had two later sightings for TREE SWALLOW: August 8 (2001) and August 11 (2011).

Lots of babies at the park, including WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE feeding young (and feeding a young BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD)

For the day, 60 species, despite missing Pied-billed Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Violet-green Swallow, and Cliff Swallow.

The RED-NECKED GREBE and AMERICAN KESTREL were new for the year. I believe that gets us to 142 which is still low...

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


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