Tweets ? A really nice start to the morning, with warmth, sunshine, and birds. Slowly the weather deteriorated, but only got as bad as overcast with a few sprinkles. The birds got a lot quieter though.

Highlights:

Wood Duck Handsome male in slough, first since Week 1
Greater Scaup Adult and subadult male in slough again
Horned Grebe 3 far out on lake
Western Gull At least 1-2 with flock of large gulls
THAYER?S GULL At least 1 with flock of large gulls
N. Saw-whet Owl Matt heard one calling distantly, east of boardwalk, 6am
Pileated Woodpecker One near mansion, 7:45 a.m. ? First of Year
Northern Shrike Between Viewing Mound and model airplane field today
OR.-CR. WARBLER Gray-faced bird in blackberries just outside NW corner of Dog Area
Y.-rumped Warbler Numbers growing: 10-12 today
Purple Finch 1 bird east of weir in large cottonwoods
RIVER OTTER 1 in slough south of Dog Area

There were at least 30 GREAT BLUE HERONS in a cottonwood 100 feet north of the heronry. At least 1 bird was flying around with a stick as if to demonstrate his abilities. Five birds were seen at the heronry, including 2-3 standing on nests.

The ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was quite a surprise. This is our first February sighting ever. We?ve only had 1-2 sightings ever in January, and 3 for December. We?ve had about a sighting or two each week in March, but they are not commonly at Marymoor before April. The bird was cooperative as it hopped around the wall of blackberries, acting like a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, quite close to us.

One species we did not have today, nor have we had for several weeks, is Barn Owl. They have been conspicuously and unexpectedly absent from the meadows visible from the Viewing Mound in the pre-dawn hours. Last week, we did find quite a few Barn Owl pellets under the cedars next to the windmill though.

For the day, 55 species. For the year, adding THAYER?S GULL, PILEATED WOODPECKER, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, we?re up to 73 species for the year.

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