Tweets -; Sunny, windless, delightful -; except for the 25 degree starting temperature. Brrr. Turned out to be a really nice day, and quite birdy. We got our first spring migrants!

Highlights:
a.. Still 10 species of duck
b.. Wilson's Snipe -; nice looks along near edge of slough below the weir
c.. Red-breasted Sapsucker -; suddenly everywhere, drumming, chasing each other. At least 5
d.. Tree Swallow -; at least a dozen with some visiting birdhouses, plus 25-or-so swallow sp. at the lake. First of Spring (FOS)
e.. Violet-green Swallow -; at least 9 (FOS)
f.. Purple Finch -; several singing males, maybe 6 total birds
g.. COMMON REDPOLL -; five or more east of the weir on the trail through the blackberries, in alder trees (FOS)
h.. American Goldfinch -; one heard singing below the weir (FOS)
i.. White-crowned Sparrow -; heard the first singing "pugetensis" subspecies of the spring
j.. Western Meadowlark -; Two in the East Meadow, one singing
k.. Townsend's Warbler -; one south of the mansion (FOS)
A late scan of the lake turned up several RING-NECKED DUCKS and a couple of HORNED GREBE. A late stop back at the East Meadow featured a NORTHERN SHRIKE looking sharp just east of the Viewing Mound.

Misses today included Short-billed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Cooper's Hawk, and Marsh Wren

For the day, 62 species -; our first survey of 2020 with 60+. For the year, we're at 83 species.

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