Tweets ? today should have been amazing, and it wasn?t. First warm day of the year, though we were underneath thick fog for most of the morning. Things didn?t liven up when the fog burned off though. It was just QUIET.

Highlights:
a.. Canada Goose ? at least 3 clutches of goslings below the weir
b.. Spotted Sandpiper ? two on far side of slough below weir ? First of 2017
c.. Ring-billed Gull ? one adult ? getting late for them
d.. California Gull ? two adults, one subadult ? getting late for them
e.. Barn Owl ? seen just south of Cirque du Soleil at about 5:10am
f.. Hairy Woodpecker ? at least 2
g.. Merlin ? one flew over us as we started the walk and landed NE of mansion
h.. American Pipit ? six on grass soccer fields
i.. Black-headed Grosbeak ? saw one, heard about two more ? First of 2017
For warblers, we had 1-2 ORANGE-CROWNED, a handful or two of ?Audubon?s? YELLOW-RUMPS, one heard-only BLACK-THROATED GRAY, and one heard-only WILSON?S. Pathetic.

We did have a LONG-TAILED WEASEL that gave us a few glimpses.

I was very, very sick last week, which is why I didn?t get out a report. Unfortunately, I was also missing the services of Brian Bell, Matt Bartels, AND Sharon Aagaard, all of whom had the need to skip. So I shuffled around trying to bird and not pass out, mostly unable to talk. IT WAS ALSO AN AMAZING DAY!

Highlights from last week:
a.. Cackling Goose ? one flock ? late for them
b.. Horned Grebe ? we saw a dozen or so. I verified the ID after from the north end of the lake, where I was able to count 44!
c.. Red-necked Grebe ? seen late from north end of lake ? New for 2017
d.. Western Screech-Owl ? Joanne was able to see two, early
e.. HAMMOND?S FLYCATCHER ? at least 4, and I believe all were calling ? New for 2017
f.. Dusky Flycatcher ??? ? almost certain, but I couldn?t nail down ID. Was calling and singing, but my ears were plugged
g.. Warbling Vireo ? a few, New for 2017
h.. Hermit Thrush ? two
i.. Orange-crowned Warbler ? maybe 20
j.. Nashville Warbler ? about 8, mostly seen, mostly singing! Very high count
k.. Black-throated Gray Warbler ? one seen by some, one heard by some ? First of 2017
l.. Wilson?s Warbler ? one below weir ? First of 2017
m.. Brewer?s Sparrow ? probably the same one seen a couple of days before, with Savannah Sparrows at NE corner of Fields 7-8-9
n.. *SINGING* Lincoln?s Sparrows ? two of the ~4 we had were singing full songs
o.. ~50 White-crowned Sparrows ? many of them singing, all songs being the Gambeli type song! Included one flock of 20-30 on a patch of grass
p.. Evening Grosbeak ? a small flyover flock ? New for 2017
q.. Western Meadowlark ? two north of Fields 7-8-9
So last week was amazing, with 69 species (and we probably missed several more) and large numbers of many of the birds. Six new species for the year.
Today, not amazing, with 58 species, and low counts for many birds. Two new species for the year. I believe we?re up to 127 species for 2017.
== Michael Hobbs
== www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== BirdMarymoor at frontier.com