Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2014-08-28
Date: Aug 28 15:35:32 2014
From: Matt Bartels - mattxyz at earthlink.net


Tweets -
All the stars were aligned for a great day -- this has been historically one of the best weeks for surprises at Marymoor, with things in the past showing up this week including: Smith's Longspur [2006], Buff-breasted Sandpiper [2005], Long-tailed Jaeger [2013], Black Tern [2004], Clay-colored Sparrow [2011], Eastern Kingbird [2008] , Red-naped Sapsucker [2009]..... Add to that the karma of Michael being gone this week, and we were almost guaranteed to have surprises. Alas, if birding were only so predictable....

It turned out to be a pleasant but remarkably slow day for the birds, with only a couple spots where the birding picked up. Weather was great and cool, with a beautiful sunrise and no wind. 15 of us convened to see what was around.

Highlights:
Green Heron We had brief looks at one juvie along the slough a couple times, then great looks at 2 at the Rowing Club pond.
Spotted Sandpiper One early at the slough, before the formal walk began
Barn Owl The early crew had one over the east meadow
Black Swift 2 gave a few people looks
empid. sp 2, both of which gave frustratingly brief looks
Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and Black-throated Gray Warbler all turned up, all but the COYE in small #s.
Golden-crowned Kinglet Near the windmill, we came across one with an almost entirely white head - really popped out!

Missing and low #s for the following:
Western Wood-Pewee -- only one holding on
no definitive Willow Flycatchers [maybe the empid sp.]
We only saw one Swainson's Thrush - a young one -- but several were flying by in the pre-dawn migrant push
no Black-headed Grosbeaks
only 1 Flicker for our entire woodpecker count!

For the day, I only come up with 49 species for the day

A final note - last week, not on our walk day but a day later [can't these birds read calendars??], birders spotted a Solitary Sandpiper at Marymoor [only about the 5th for the park] and a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH from the lake viewing platform. NOWA is a new bird for Marymoor's list, park bird #225. I believe those 2 birds bring the park year list to 147.

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA