Although the day seemed quiet*, there were several birds on the move that kept things interesting. Most special was picking up the night flight calls of several Swainson's Thrush. This is a great time of year to hear these NFCs-;best to arrive 30-60 minutes before dawn at a location that has good habitat for the birds to pause for the day during their southward movement, places like Marymoor and Magnuson.

[* what was NOT quiet was the throng of dozens of high schoolers who were huddled, early, on Kite Hill with some also swimming out to the platform]

Plenty of notables today; I was helped on many of these by Bruce Lagerquist who joined me at dawn.

Horned Grebe - first of fall (FOF)
Band-tailed Pigeon - a group of 5 flew over Promontory Point; numbers are growing every week now
Vaux's Swift - several in the late morning
Spotted Sandpiper - one was at the small boat launch in the north lot, flycatching
Short-billed Gull - FOF; actually, wanted to be able to type that new name :)
Osprey - the single chick from the sports field pair is still hanging out in the nest, and still begging
Cooper's Hawk - at least 3, maybe more given the number of calling birds; at least one immature and one adult seen
Barn Owl - day roost
Warbling Vireo - many
Purple Martin - no nests at the park, but we get a few dispersing from elsewhere; these two were vocalizing non-stop
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - FOF
Evening Grosbeak - surprised to hear one calling, south end
Purple Finch - strange variant of its vireo-like call
Yellow Warbler - very pale immature bird
Western Tanager - priddik calls

For the day, 50 species; now 115 species for the year.
Main checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94125547 <https://ebird.org/checklist/S94125547>
Scott Ramos
Seattle

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