Tweets -; We had a heavy overcast yesterday, with worsening weather. Soon it was misting, then drizzling. Before we got to the Rowing Club, it was full-on rain. The heavy overcast made seeing difficult at times, a particular problem when we found a very interesting bunting that we have identified as an INDIGO BUNTING in the Dog Meadow.

Highlights:
a.. Wood Duck -; two clutches of ducklings, one of 3, the other of 9
b.. Black Swift -; About 16 total, with at least a dozen over the boardwalk
c.. American Coot -; lone bird remains with lone Pied-billed Grebe across from Lake Platform
d.. Green Heron -; flying south over grass soccer fields. First since March
e.. Western Screech-Owl -; Matt saw an adult over the east end of the boardwalk pre-dawn
f.. Downy Woodpecker -; adult male seen feeding a fledgling Red Elderberries
g.. Purple Martin -; at least 17 birds by actual count. Martins are nesting in at least one hole in the snags west of the slough
h.. Tree Swallow -; babies in some of the nest boxes
i.. Northern Rough-winged Swallow -; Uncommon at Marymoor after mid-May; probably 3 seen in total
j.. Pine Siskin -; several around the mansion, high in the trees
k.. Red-winged Blackbird -; babies begging and being fed
l.. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER -; uncommon after mid-May at Marymoor. We had two in the "Mysterious Thicket" area south of the East Meadow
m.. Wilson's Warbler -; uncommon after the first week in June at Marymoor. One heard singing from across the slough
n.. Lazuli Bunting -; Great looks, much singing. Matt thinks four males
o.. INDIGO BUNTING -; Singing male in the area of the south/middle of the off-leash dog area dominated by Spirea. Flying tree to bush.
We spent a lot of time trying to get looks and photos of the INDIGO BUNTING. It didn't seem quite typical for INDIGO, but also didn't appear like most photos of LAZULI x INDIGO. The entire head and most of the breast were brilliant deep blue perfect for Indigo Bunting, but the wings had more black than is typical for Indigo adults, and the flanks and lower belly were rather gray. We could see no wing bars, which would be typical of a hybrid. Photos were obtained by Jordan Roderick, and later by Kazuto Shibata. We left the park believing it was probably a pure Indigo, but when I looked at Kazuto's photos on the tiny screen of my phone, there appeared to be wing bars, so I posted to Tweeters that the bird was probably a hybrid. But closer looks at both Jordan's and Kazuto's photos seem to show no wing bars, and patterning in the gray of the lower belly and flanks.

So the general consensus now seems to be a 1st summer male (i.e. hatched last year). The photos that I have been sent will be on the blog (www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog/Current.htm) shortly.

This is a new species for Marymoor Park, and rare bird for the state (on the WBRC review list)!

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

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