Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2014-03-06
Date: Mar 6 15:19:51 2014
From: Michael Hobbs - birdmarymoor at frontier.com


Tweets - we were dressed in our meteorological armor ? rain coats, rain pants, rain hats, tall boots, snorkels, sandbags ? to survive the predicted torrential rains and howling winds. Thus encumbered, we tromped around Marymoor under skies that were partly blue, with only a few puffs of wind, and a bit of mist and drizzle. It was nearly 60 degrees by late morning (and not much cooler to start). If we hadn?t known what was supposed to be coming, we would have thought it was a nice morning.

Unfortunately, the birds apparently also heard the weather reports and mostly remained hidden and quiet. There was also high water, which often displaces birds. Today, it seemed to push some birds out more than it pulled other birds in. The water isn?t TOO deep; part of the boardwalk had about 5? of water, and there were puddles on some of the Interpretive Trail, but there weren?t any areas closed due to flooding.

Highlights:

6 species of waterfowl Compared with 12 last week
Sharp-shinned Hawk One across from 3rd dog swim beach
Again, 6 gull species Including California, Westerns, and HERRING
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD Southeast edge of Dog Meadow.
Red-breasted Sapsucker At Rowing Club
Tree Swallow 2 over East Meadow

Dasha Gudalewicz photographed a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD yesterday, March 5th; we may well have seen the same individual today. This is the EARLIEST Rufous Hummingbird sighting ever at Marymoor. Our only other sighting this week of the year was March 9, 2005. Usually, our first Rufous is 1-2 weeks later. Contrary to lore, we could find NO open Salmonberry blossoms yet. Previous years, we?ve pretty much always had the first RUHU coincide with the first blossoms, leading to the True Marymoor Fact that they overwinter inside salmonberry buds.

I forgot to mention in last week?s post just how many species are singing/displaying/etc. right now. Today?s list: Great Blue Heron bringing sticks to nest, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD J-display flight, Northern Flicker ?singing?. Singing: Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Pacific Wren, Marsh Wren, Bewick?s Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, Purple Finch. Last week, we had Spotted Towhee and Fox Sparrow singing too, and Anna?s Hummingbird displaying.

We also heard LOTS of Pacific Tree Frogs today.

For the day, 50 species. With RUHU, our year list is up to 85 species, I believe.

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