One advantage to the very early sunrise is that arriving even earlier for owling means the dog-walkers have not yet come and the park really is quiet. I was hoping to be able to hear some arriving Swanson?s Thrushes, but not yet; and they would have had to compete with lots of other noisemakers this morning, the first of which was a noisy flock of Violet-green Swallows over the play fields before 5:00! The 50-degree morning chill quickly burned off to a pleasant and sunny day. Not as birdy as the last couple of weeks, but more new arrivals made it fun.

Of the winter ducks, all but a pair of Bufflehead have gone
California Quail - at least 8, below Kite Hill
Western Grebe - several dozen, way out in lake
Cooper?s Hawk - on nest; after several weeks of prepping, looks like they may finally be incubating
video: https://youtu.be/ciaz6EaDt04
Virginia Rail - 3, in different ponds
Sora - in wetland south of rugby field
Spotted Sandpiper - foraging along boat launch dock
Western Sandpiper - 3 circled over wetlands, then gave up looking for suitable mud and headed elsewhere; FOY
much like Montlake Fill, the mitigation at Magnuson favors ducks and big trees and practically excludes shorebirds
Barn Owl - the two young from the box by the tennis center are now branching; the two young in the community center box were still hissing inside; an adult made a food drop, then flew west
Belted Kingfisher - ousted from Kingfisher Basin due to proximity to the Cooper?s Hawks, this one was at the lake shore north of the swim beach
Willow Flycatcher - very early but in same area as last year; FOY
Pacific-slope Flycatcher - a couple on Promontory Point; one seen well, another (maybe more) calling; FOY
Western Kingbird - flew across ballfields, landed in a small Doug Fir at edge of track, eventually flew off to north with no further stops; may have been 2 birds; FOY
Warbling Vireo - many! FOY
Cedar Waxwing - a pair in the wetlands
Townsend?s Warbler - a pair foraging together on Promontory Point
Wilson?s Warbler - many! FOY
Bullock?s Oriole - calling from cottonwoods by flycatcher; FOY

For the day, 63 species; with 7 new, 113 for the year.
Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23306813 <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23306813>
Scott Ramos
Seattle