Tweets ? The rain never got beyond spizzle (sort of a spitting drizzle that barely wetted us), though the overcast was pretty dark all morning. A touch of breeze now and then would have made things cold, but the temps were in the low 40?s, so we were pretty comfortable. It was moderately birdy.

Highlights:

Cackling Goose Many small to middling flocks flying by
SWAN SP. Two in a somewhat distant flyby, probably Trumpeter
American Wigeon At least 2 below the weir
Horned Grebe Two well out on the lake
Green Heron Very dependable upon the beaver lodge
Bald Eagle I believe they lost their nest; building a new one nearby
Red-tailed Hawk Building a new nest near the site of the old odd-snag nest
BARN OWL Matt saw and adult, heard babies inside windmill, early
Great Horned Owl Heard up the hill west of the entrance
Western Screech-Owl Matt heard, early, boardwalk
Short-eared Owl East Meadow ? third straight week
Hairy Woodpecker Had a 4 woodpecker day, missing only Pileated
Tree Swallow One seen
Bushtit First of 2017 ? maybe a half-dozen along slough
Varied Thrush Heard and finally seen. First confirmed for 2017
W. Meadowlark Still hanging out around model airplane field

We *might* have seen a Rufous Hummingbird, and Sara though she heard one, but we can?t confirm. This would be about as early as we?ve EVER had one, but it?s plausible. They should be arriving very soon if not already.

Matt also saw American Beaver at the lake platform, pre-dawn.

Misses included Ring-billed Gull, Steller?s Jay, Brown Creeper, Marsh Wren, and House Finch.

For the day, 61 species. I believe we?re at 85 species for the year.

After the walk, we had an Au Revoir party for Grace & Ollie Oliver, who are moving to Poulsbo. We will miss them, and I will greatly miss Ollie?s photographs which have constituted much of the Bird Blog for the last many years.

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