Subject: [Tweeters] Magnuson Park, 24 February 2017
Date: Feb 24 17:14:08 2017
From: Scott Ramos - lsr at ramoslink.info


After our multi-day field trip to the Okanogan Highlands last weekend, I expected birding in Seattle to be, well, less frigid. Not so!! With temps around freezing and a wind chill making it feel worse, I felt much colder this morning than all last week. Fortunately, there were plenty of birds to provide a distraction, although a visit to the warming hut, er, car, was necessary. Sarah Peden joined me early on and her ears were a real benefit since many birds were playing hard to see. Many notables, including:

Eurasian Wigeon - a bright male continues, in the wetlands
Scaup - the flock seemed a little smaller than last month, though Greater still greatly outnumber Lesser
Red-breasted Merganser - 3 bright males north of NOAA
Cooper?s Hawk - one adult, one immature, both flying with purpose through the meadows
Bald Eagle - 2 adults perched on Promontory Point, and an immature flew over the meadows later on
Red-tailed Hawk - 2 adults, one quite light, the other was properly escorted to a light pole by a Crow
Barn Owl - Sarah had one in the west meadow, early
Wilson?s Snipe - I had one in the meadows, early
Gulls - the usual assortment plus Thayer?s and Herring on the swim platform
Red-breasted Sapsucker - one out foraging at the south end; a female Anna?s came in to inspect - looking for food in the sap? or, worried the Sapsucker was too close to a nest?
Merlin - one flew over the meadows
Violet-green Swallow - a single bird flying over Kite Hill
Unfortunately, no Phoebe nor Bohemians.

For the day (combined), 62 species; with THGU, MERL and VGSW new, 74 species for the year.
Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34772249 <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34772249>
Scott Ramos
Seattle