Tweets -; Today turned out to be an excellent day at the park. We started off with overcast, and it was none-too-warm. For a while we had a bit of breeze and a very dark cloud that misted us. Later, it cleared to sun and clouds. The birds were pretty cooperative, and there were several surprises.

Highlights:
a.. Wood Duck -; I believe we had three females with ducklings
b.. Mourning Dove -; one glimpse, and later a really good look at one. Only our 2nd MODO sighting of the year so far
c.. COMMON NIGHTHAWK -; Matt and I had one flying silently over the boardwalk around 5 a.m. -; First of Year (FOY)
d.. BLACK SWIFT -; when the mist started, we had at least FIFTY Black Swifts over the south end of the Dog Meadow. Later, we had a similar number over the Viewing Mound in the sun. Probably a High Count for the park
e.. California Gull -; a tight flock of 10 at the lake
f.. Caspian Tern -; one seen twice, or two
g.. Merlin -; flyby near the weir put the swallows atwitter
h.. EASTERN KINGBIRD -; one north of Fields 7-8-9 -; FOY
i.. RED-EYED VIREO -; one singing (but not seen) at the Rowing Club -; FOY
j.. HOUSE WREN -; presumably the same bird as last week, singing from a birch snag on the far side of the slough below the weir at 5:45 a.m. My first ever for the park
k.. Red Crossbill -; after a few times when Matt thought he heard one/some, we had a single bird flying up the river while we were on the Rowing Club dock. Our latest spring sighting ever
l.. Western Tanager -; two at the Rowing Club parking lot
m.. Lazuli Bunting -; My best guess was a DOZEN males. I also saw one female. They were all over the East Meadow, but in several other places as well!
Baby birds were plentiful. Beside Wood Duck and Mallard, and the babies at the heronry, we also had many species feeding young, and nests with young, as well as some already independent youngsters around: Red-breasted Sapsucker, Tree Swallow, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtit, American Robin, House Finch (pretty sure), and Dark-eyed Junco.

Misses today included Common Merganser, Rock Pigeon, Glaucous-winged Gull, Green Heron, and Cliff Swallow.

For the day, 66 species. Adding three today, we're at 146 species for 2021.

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