Another chilly morning?high 40s to start?with sun breaks early, then increasing wind and lowering clouds seemed to keep the passerines down. As a result there were several misses, but there were enough surprises to make up for the slow day.

Common Merganser - a few at the swim beach and the NOAA shore
California Quail - at least a dozen very vocal birds?several juveniles?flew across the north cross park trail
Pied-billed Grebe - 2 adults and a juvenile in Promontory Pond
Horned Grebe - 2 birds flew in from the north, then hung out near the swim platform; first of this early fall
Osprey - a couple flying high, calling; later 3 were on the nest platform
Cooper?s Hawk - a couple; the one seen was a juvenile
American Coot - a couple, at the swim beach; new for this early fall
Barn Owl - 1 gave skiew call from East Meadow, another hunting low over the west meadow
BLACK SWIFT - one, maybe two birds flying 2 or 3 times higher than a flock of Barn Swallows over Kite Hill; only my 3rd park sighting
Willow Flycatcher - at least 5; a couple pairs were doing chase me
Warbling Vireo - 1 in a mixed flock of warblers and ...
RED-EYED VIREO - only the second I?ve seen in the park; last time was Sep 8, 2011
Swainson?s Thrush - at least 8 birds heard giving night flight call, between 5:30 and 5:50
Warblers - Orange-crowned (5), Black-throated Gray, Townsend?s and Common Yellowthroat (13+)
Lincoln?s Sparrow - at least 5
Western Tanager - a couple

For the day, 50 species; with the BLSW and REVI, 131 for the year.
Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/pnw/view/checklist?subID=S24891873 <http://ebird.org/ebird/pnw/view/checklist?subID=S24891873>
Scott Ramos
Seattle