I can't remember another year when there was so much rain in late summer. Yet, the wetland ponds at Magnuson are barely wet-;it will take considerably more precipitation before they begin holding enough water for the winter waterfowl. Even though it seemed rather slow today, what with the heavy overcast and strong breezes, there were several new fall appearances that made up for it. Even had the remarkable experience of a dog walker leashing his dog after I asked him to. Must be a Friday the 13th phenomenon. Anyway, here are some notables.

Green-winged Teal - 1 female, first of fall
Pied-billed Grebe - still one juvenile, and still begging for food
Herring Gull - on the swim platform with other gulls and geese; FOY
Double-crested Cormorant - one; FOF
Green Heron - the juvenile heron continues in Promontory Pond; heard it call several times and watched it preen by the beaver lodge
Cooper's Hawk - at least 3; two birds were calling from opposite sides of the central meadow early, perhaps the continuing pair from this year's brood; an adult female was hunting in the north end
Pacific-slope Flycatcher - in a mixed flock on Kite Hill
Warbling Vireo - one or two in the trees edging Promontory Pond
Bushtit - finally ran across a roosting group, early this morning. There were 20-25 birds perched on a single branch, tightly bunched together, with a few others bunched together nearby in twos and threes. Very cute to see them all lined up.
Hermit Thrush - a very quiet, skittish bird on Promontory Point; FOF
Golden-crowned Sparrow - several, in different locations; FOF
White-throated Sparrow - white-striped version, near the equipment yard, in a mixed flock with White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows; only the second this year, first was in January - video: https://youtu.be/pV8ae5irQLw <https://youtu.be/pV8ae5irQLw>
Lincoln's Sparrow - a couple, north end; FOF
Warblers: Orange-crowned (3), Common Yellowthroat (11), Yellow (1), Yellow-rumped (2), and Wilson's (2)
Western Tanager - producing a very strange variation of the priddick call

For the day, 49 species.
Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59776978 <https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59776978>
Scott Ramos
Seattle
Magnuson Park hotspots: http://tinyurl.com/mvftzl6 <http://tinyurl.com/mvftzl6>
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