Tweets -; It rained. Sometimes it was just wind-blown drizzle, sometimes it was just steady rain. Some birds sat, motionless and silent, as we walked past. Undoubtedly others took shelter where we could neither see nor hear them. There were exceptions -; the RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were singing and feeding as if they were too small for raindrops to hit. But it was mostly quiet and bird free. That said, we still managed 56 species, because we are doggedly determined, and Matt has good ears.

Highlights:
a.. Cackling Goose -; Flocks in large strings flying southeast again -; too far to hear
b.. Wood Duck -; first since January -; male at Rowing Club, female flying
c.. Rufous Hummingbird -; one male briefly seen by a couple of us.
d.. Green Heron -; first in six weeks -; landed on beaver lodge again
e.. Purple Finch -; one singing male was our only finch of any kind
f.. Savannah Sparrow -; not back in numbers yet; one seen, East Meadow
g.. Western Meadowlark -; at least 1 singing, did a display flight too
The Rowing Club site was good to us, with WOOD DUCK, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and PACIFIC WREN all new for the day, plus our only views of HAIRY WOODPECKER and NORTHERN FLICKER (both previously heard).

Nothing new for the year today, though I had two BAND-TAILED PIGEONS last Saturday, which were new for 2018. We had a pretty good day for ducks with nine species, we had 3 species of gull, and 4 species of woodpecker, which made up for a poor showing by finches, plus many other "misses". That said, the only birds I was really surprised we didn't see were Violet-green Swallow and House Finch. And there may well have been Violet-greens flying overhead, but viewing conditions mostly left us at "white-bellied swallow".

Earlier in the week, I did have HOUSE FINCH, as well as SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and COOPER'S HAWK, both absent today.

So, 56 species today, 59 species so far this week (starting Monday), and 93 species for 2018. I am almost dry.

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

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