Tweets -; A really gorgeous and birdy day today at the park. The lake level has dropped down to normal, but the south end of the Dog Area is still closed off, including a portion of the slough trail, requiring us to go out-and-back along the boardwalk from the east end. But the day was sunny and warm, and spring is really arriving.

Highlights:
a.. Greater White-fronted Goose -; one in large flock of Cackling Geese on grass soccer fields. First of Year for us.
b.. American Wigeon -; Maybe 6 total
c.. "EURASIAN" GREEN-WINGED TEAL -; drake showing the horizontal white bars instead of vertical, along the slough well downstream of the weir
d.. Hooded Merganser -; one male, seen from the Rowing Club dock. First after 5 week absence
e.. Western Screech-Owl -; Matt heard one from fairly near the Lake Platform, predawn. First after 5 week absence
f.. Short-eared/Long-eared Owl -; one seen very briefly from Viewing Mound, not too long before sunrise
g.. Northern Shrike -; three very disparate sightings, but I think it was probably all the same bird
h.. TREE SWALLOW -; at least 3, East Meadow. First of Year
i.. VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW -; about 10 over the slough -; First of Year
j.. Pacific Wren -; 5-7 birds singing -; a rather high count for Marymoor
k.. Varied Thrush -; one heard singing west of the mansion -; First of Year for us
l.. Purple Finch -; finally, one seen calling south of the East Meadow -; First of Year
m.. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW -; Brian had one south of the Dog Area portapotties, with other Zonos. First of Year
n.. Western Meadowlark -; Seven in East Meadow, calling and singing
o.. Yellow-rumped Warbler -; flock of 11 south of East Meadow
To my recollection, this is only the 2nd time we've had a "EURASIAN" GREEN-WINGED TEAL. We had one for several weeks during the spring of 2001.

This is our second earliest date for VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. Our earliest was 2016-02-25.

Singing birds included Anna's Hummingbird, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren (many), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (many), Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, "Pugetensis" White-crowned Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco. Downy and Flicker were drumming. Many Great Blue Herons were carrying sticks to the heronry. Spring is here.

For mammals, Matt had AMERICAN BEAVER pre-dawn from the Lake Platform, and we had a LONG-TAILED WEASEL toying with a crow (or vice versa) near the Pea Patch (First of Year). There were both RED-EARED SLIDERS and PAINTED TURTLES sunning themselves at the Rowing Club pond.

Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Virginia Rail, Mew Gull and Ring-billed Gull (we did have some unidentifiable flyby gulls that could have been these species), Red-breasted Sapsucker, Marsh Wren, and Pine Siskin.

For the day, 59 species.

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

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