Tweets ? a glorious day today, with great weather (after some early morning fog, and a touch of a cold start), and some really good birding. I apparently misread the sunrise times, so we started a half-hour too soon, but with the clear sunny morning, this wasn?t a problem. Long before dawn, Matt saw BARN OWL near the windmill, and got what sounded like a great look at a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL near the east end of the boardwalk. This is later than we?ve ever had NSWO in spring at Marymoor.

And on this date in 1994, I started my weekly surveys. Today, we started our 23rd year.

Other highlights:

Wood Duck 2 pairs in Big Cottonwood Forest calling from trees!
OSPREY They?re back ? the pair has returned ? lots of calling
Bald Eagle On the nest, plus several others
Red-tailed Hawk On nests both at east edge and west of the park
E. Collared-Dove One perched briefly in Big Cottonwood Forest ? First of Year
Anna?s Hummingbird Female on nest in Big Cottonwood Forest
- all 5 woodpeckers - With LOTS of action from sapsuckers, Downys, pair of Hairys
Bushtit We?ve now found at least 2 nests
Marsh Wren One building a nest along boardwalk
Varied Thrush One heard near East Footbridge
C. YELLOWTHROAT Male at Rowing Club ? First of Year
EVENING GROSBEAK Flock of 9 over parking lot ? First of Year

We?ve only had OSPREY earlier than this five times (earliest: 2013-03-23). And this is our 5th earliest COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (earliest: 2015-03-26).

For the day, 65 species. Tuesday, I had 12 American Wigeon, a male Lesser Scaup, and six Western Meadowlarks. Wednesday, I had two Lincoln?s Sparrows, for a total of 69 species for Week 13 this year.

For 2016, adding Osprey, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Yellowthroat, and Evening Grosbeak, we?re up to 94 species.

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