Subject: [Tweeters] Monroe Prison Farm pond shorebirds and swallows
Date: May 9 14:17:29 2016
From: Birder1944 at aol.com - Birder1944 at aol.com


This morning, May 9, I ventured up to the Crescent Lake area. At the
former prison farm pond, there were six different shorebird species, in the
close pond right across the road from the dairy. There were at least two
Greater Yellowlegs, at least two Lesser Yellowlegs, at least one Western
Sandpiper, at least one Least Sandpiper, one token Killdeer, and 25 or 30
Long-billed Dowitchers, in their red breeding plumage. It was great to see so
many species close enough for pictures (of a sort).

There were hundreds of swallows swooping around, of course. They very
cooperatively perched from time to time on the fence wires, and with my scope,
I could run right down the line, getting great views of each one. They
were constantly changing, of course. I got all six swallow species I was
hoping for - Tree, Violet-green, Barn, Cliff, Northern Rough-winged, and Bank.
It was a real swallow bonanza.

I didn't see either Cinnamon or Blue-winged Teal on the big pond, but I did
see one male Cinnamon Teal in the slough along Crescent Lake Road, south
of the prison farm.

On my way home I drove up W. Snoqualmie River Road NE and got pictures of
the cooperative Western Kingbird that had been reported there yesterday or
the day before. It was on the wires adjacent to the slaughterhouse, as
previously reported. There are young Great Blue Herons in one of the three
nests across the river a little farther along the road, and one heron looked
like it was still sitting on eggs in another nest.

6 shorebird species and 6 swallow species, along with my FOY Western
Kingbird made it a great morning out birding.

Barry Brugman
Kirkland