Managed to get in a nice day of birding between wet periods. A little chilly to start (high 30s) but the sun did shine a little during the morning. Lots of water, everywhere: the meadows are a mucky mess and the wetland ponds are as high as I?ve seen them. Some of this is compounded by beaver activity. Their lodge is higher still, the dam seems wider than last week, and cut trees are in evidence all around the Promontory Ponds. Wintering ducks are back in good numbers and passerine activity was at times quite frenetic.

American Wigeon - at least 125
Canvasback - 4 at the swim beach
Scaup - nearly a hundred each of Greater and Lesser
Red-breasted Merganser - 2; first since March
Sharp-shinned Hawk - one was perched at eye level near the beaver dam
Cooper?s Hawk - a banded female (both blue and gray metal bands)
Merlin - one seen cruising through the meadows, early, terrorizing a large flock of robins
Herring Gull - 3 on the swim platform
Barn Owl - 3; one kleaking from CC box; one screeching over sports fields; another flew out of uplands
Cedar Waxwing - only 10; low count after several busy weeks
Townsend?s Warbler - a very bright female; first since May

For the day, 56 species.
Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S21033005
Scott Ramos
Seattle