Tweets -; cooler temps, and a gloomy overcast that threatened rain, added to the end-of-breeding-season quiet, making birding somewhat uneventful and QUIET today. We're definitely seeing shifts in bird populations, such as large flocks of European Starlings and House Finches, and a large drop in the numbers of Great Blue Herons. In general, we found fewer birds, less singing, and few good views today. Many species were only glimpsed, with some just barely heard. Swainson's Thrush and Willow Flycatcher were both present in pretty good numbers still, but both were doing more whits than songs, and neither species was seen.

Highlights:
a.. Wood Duck -; again, at least one clutch of tiny ducklings -; every week there're more
b.. BLACK SWIFT -; three or four overhead briefly, but close
c.. Rufous Hummingbird -; only one, a juvenile at the Pea Patch
d.. Killdeer -; adult with two chicks below weir
e.. Spotted Sandpiper -; adult near two chicks below the weir
f.. Great Blue Heron -; heronry empty or nearly empty; birds dispersed
g.. Cooper's Hawk -; one aggressively chased an adult Bald Eagle -; nesting nearby?
h.. Barn Owl -; Matt heard juvenile in windmill very early, again
i.. Western Screech-Owl -; two heard, adult seen, early
j.. Tree Swallow -; only one seen, but entering a nest box in East Meadow
k.. Northern Rough-winged Swallow -; one over fields 7-8-9
l.. BANK SWALLOW -; at least two over fields 7-8-9
m.. Savannah Sparrow -; at least a few juveniles
n.. White-crowned Sparrow -; at least 2 young-looking juveniles
o.. BL.-THROATED GRAY WARBLER -; one seen 1500 feet downstream of weir along slough
p.. Yellow Warbler -; one made a couple of half-hearted songs, unseen
q.. Western Tanager -; adult male East Meadow south end, another singing near windmill
r.. Black-headed Grosbeak -; only one seen, one heard
s.. LAZULI BUNTING -; male north of fields 7-8-9; probably will leave soon
Critters seen included dozens of Eastern Cottontails, Matt had a Mule Deer, and a few of us spotted a LONG-TAILED WEASEL at the north end of the East Meadow.

Misses today included Rock Pigeon, Green Heron, Warbling Vireo, Cliff Swallow, and Marsh Wren.

For the day, 61 species. Bank Swallow was new for 2018 for us, but has been previously reported on eBird this year.

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