Well, the doldrums are here. Our most unexpected bird was a Peregrine Falcon, and I believe that 56 of our 63 species are ones for which we have confirmed breeding evidence within the park, with several more clearly nesting nearby annually. But just because the bird list is very predictable at this time of year doesn't mean there's nothing to see. For a change, several "hard to see" species put on great shows for us. The weather was gorgeous too, with a few clouds to make for a memorable sunrise, and then clearing (but temps maxing out below 75 degrees). Mammals and dragonflies added to the interesting things to oogle this morning.

Highlights:
a.. Wood Duck -; again, many clutches of babies
b.. Killdeer -; young baby below the weir
c.. Spotted Sandpiper -; still at least 1 adult below weir
d.. -; Black-wing-tipped Gull sp. -; one
e.. Green Heron -; adult and juvenile posed for great looks below weir
f.. Cooper's Hawk -; one flew right past us with prey, heading towards Big Cottonwood Forest
g.. Red-tailed Hawk -; Nest west of Rowing Club may have fledged 2
h.. Barn Owl -; Matt heard baby in windmill in the middle of the night, again
i.. WESTERN SCREECH-OWL -; Matt had 2 near east end of boardwalk; at least 1 was juvenile
j.. Pileated Woodpecker -; one heard
k.. PEREGRINE FALCON -; nice, close flyover. Heavily speckled, dark bird
l.. Purple Martin -; active at gourds
m.. Swainson's Thrush -; many singing -; great looks
n.. Bullock's Oriole -; Adult male gave fabulous looks; first year male and a female seen near a nest
o.. Orange-crowned Warbler -; heard one singing
p.. Lazuli Bunting -; at least 1 male, one female and/or juvenile chased by male at 5:20 a.m.
Mammals: many Eastern Cottontail, American Beaver pre-dawn, Mule Deer (large buck pre-dawn, doe at Rowing Club), Eastern Gray Squirrel

Near Dog Central, a SWAINSON'S THRUSH was gathering insects in the gravel of the path and carrying them to an unseen nest near the slough. We got great close-up looks, and very nice to get breeding confirmation of a very secretive nester.

Earlier, we had an adult male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE in all of his glory also feeding on the gravel path. Got to watch him at close range for over a minute. Just past Dog Central, we had a first-year male singing, and then spotted him with a drab oriole visiting a nest in a cottonwood.

As I said, for the day, 63 species. Misses were pretty much limited to Canada Goose, Pied-billed Grebe, and Rock Pigeon.

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