Hi Tweeters,

I had a nice stroll around Discovery Park this morning, and among 63 species I found multiple personal first of the year sightings at the park (FOY) and one nice surprise, highlights included:

- Brant - strewn out mid-sound, obviously moving north
- Long-tailed Duck - the wintering female continues well off south beach in a group of Surf Scoters, though the flock flew north around west point, so she moves around
- Bonaparte's Gull - like the Brant, also moving north and multiple could be seen each time I scanned the sound
- woodpeckers - 4/5 lowland west-of-cascades species seen (no sapsucker), great views of a Pileated Woodpecker feeding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFs55xU0Eb8
- Hutton's Vireo - at least 4 males singing throughout the park, and I didn't visit north end
- Mountain Bluebird - the surprise!? My first sighting at Discovery, 2 females.? Unfortunately, I'm not sure if they were going to stick around, but their location can be found on my checklist:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17582941
- warblers - Townsend's + both Audubon's forms, and my FOY Orange-crowned by the Utah Wetland
- other FOYs: Rufous Hummingbird, Savannah Sparrow, Violet-green Swallow

Good birding,
Evan Houston
Seattle, WA