Hello Tweets,

This afternoon, I had 26 western sandpipers and a killdeer at M St Marsh next to Emerald Downs in Auburn. As Michael Hobbs noted yesterday, the pond is shrinking fast in our scorching May weather. Careful scope examination did not reveal any Semipalmated individuals. Not quite the variety of shorebird species as seen earlier in the week, but a cliff swallow and cackling goose were nice, as was a rabbit scurrying up the trail.

At the 212th St. pond, I was able to spot a Virginia rail, walking just ten feet away beneath the cattails, by lying in the grass peering under the marshy canopy. The mudflat-like river bend under the 200th St. bridge in Kent had a couple peeps briefly seen in flight, a spotted sandpiper and two greater yellowlegs. I sadly couldn't check for the western kingbird at 204th, but it could very well be there.

Good birding, Joshua Glant

Mercer Island, WA