Tweets -; Statistics are funny. This week (Week 18) has the highest aggregate number of species of any week of the year. After adding one today, that's 142 species over the last 25 years. But any given Week 18 day is not necessarily an amazingly birdy day. The aggregate species count is high because in some years winter birds linger, and in some years summer birds arrive early, and on any given day, any of a long list of possible migrants come through. But that doesn't mean any random Week 18 trip is going to find a great combination of all three.

Today's walk was notable for birds not seen. We had no flycatchers, barely 4 warbler species, and only 1 vireo. Additionally, many species were being particularly hard to get sightings of. We heard probably at least 10 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, but only saw one at the Rowing Club, for instance. And our final count for the day was a little disappointing. But it was still a really good day -; mostly sunny, windless, warm (but not too hot), and there were birds.

Highlights:
a.. SNOW GOOSE -; Flock of ~100 flying north!
b.. CINNAMON TEAL -; two males and a female below weir. Later 2 males in slough. Male and female from Lake Platform. 3 birds? 5? 7? New for 2018
c.. Eurasian Collared-Dove -; one along northeast edge of park
d.. Spotted Sandpiper -; one below weir -; First of 2018
e.. Green Heron -; two along slough. Pair?
f.. Western Screech-Owl -; one heard predawn
g.. Great Horned Owl -; one heard west of park entrance predawn
h.. Pileated Woodpecker -; one probably heard, one glimpsed
i.. Hutton's Vireo -; Margaret heard one singing
j.. Hermit Thrush -; one heard predawn
k.. American Pipit -; one over Fields 7-8-9
l.. Western Meadowlark -; one near Fields 7-8-9
m.. BULLOCK'S ORIOLE -; male singing SW of mansion just after 6:00am. First of 2018
n.. Orange-crowned Warbler -; maybe 4 total
o.. Wilson's Warbler -; one heard
p.. Black-headed Grosbeak -; heard about 10, saw one.
Before today, our latest Spring sighting of SNOW GOOSE was 2018-03-01. Prior to this year, we'd never had one later than FEBRUARY 10! Also, we've rarely had more than 10 Snow Geese on any one day, and have only had a flock of more than 50 five times before ever, twice in October, twice in November, and once in early January. So today's sighting was exceptional for Marymoor. Looking on eBird, there are occasional large flocks in early May in the county, though.

This was our 4th earliest SPOTTED SANDPIPER; earlier ones were 2016-04-21, 2016-04-28, and 2005-05-01.

The BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was our 5th earliest ever. We've had them 3 times on May 1st previously, with our earliest on 2016-04-21.

Misses today included Gadwall, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Band-tailed Pigeon, Vaux's Swift, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Warbling Vireo, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Western Tanager; all those species have been seen more than half of the past 25 years during Week 18.

Sunday, Matt & I had CALIFORNIA QUAIL (heard well from across the slough), PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, all then new for 2018.

For today, 64 species. For 2018, I believe we're up to 122 species.

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