Tweets ? As I drove into the park, the temperature plummeted. At my house, it was 34. Even just a half mile away, and already down in the valley, my thermometer read 31. But by the time I got to the Viewing Mound, it read just 27 degrees. Brrr. Luckily, no wind. Unluckily, we were beset by bands of fog on and off all morning. From the Lake Platform we could only see to the close buoys. But it was a pretty good day nonetheless, and at times the scenery was gorgeous, with sun shining through fog causing fog-bows, etc.

Highlights:
a.. Greater White-fronted Goose ? finally, First of Fall. One adult with Cacklers
b.. Cackling Goose ? about 1500 landed early. On a late drive-through, the flock had moved to the cricket field, and looked to have grown to 2000-2500. Impressive.
c.. Rock Pigeon ? a half-dozen near SR-520 were our first in weeks
d.. Green Heron ? One at Rowing Club pond and one in slough from Rowing Club dock, at the same time
e.. Barn Owl ? great views from the Viewing Mound after 7 a.m.; no other owls
f.. FIVE woodpecker day ? with our first Red-breasted Sapsucker in two months (near the windmill), and the other four simultaneously in the old heronry
g.. American Goldfinch ? amazingly, two at the Pea Patch were our first in a month
h.. Townsend?s Warbler ? in cedars near windmill
i.. Lincoln?s Sparrow ? one along SE edge of East Meadow
j.. Western Meadowlark ? five in East Meadow
I drove over to the NE corner of the lake to look at what we missed from the Lake Platform in the fog, and found:
a.. Scaup sp. - Four, only our second scaup sighting of the fall
b.. Bufflehead ? About 60, compared to ~10 from the Lake Platform
c.. Common Merganser ? at least 7, compared with 1 from the Lake Platform
d.. Pied-billed Grebe - ~15, compared to 1
e.. Horned Grebe ? one
f.. Western Grebe ? one
g.. Ring-billed Gull ? one
Misses included American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Mew Gull, and Northern Shrike.

For the day, 57 species, plus 4 more at the NE corner of the lake. Not bad for a cold day in December.

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