Friends of Marymoor Park

This is the most exciting month for birdwatching at Marymoor">

Friends of Marymoor Park

Apr What to see in May? Jun Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 This is the most exciting month for birdwatching at Marymoor, as it is for most places in the state. Big migration pulses bring surprises, and almost all of the summer birds arrive. 150 species have been found in the park, just during the first week of May (over the years)!  In May, there are some lingering “winter” birds that overlap with our returning “summer birds”, as well as several pass-through migrants. This is the best month for Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal, Mourning Dove, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Cassin’s Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Evening Grosbeak, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Nashville Warbler, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Western Tanager. For returning summer birds, look for Vaux’s Swift, Black Swift, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Purple Martin, Swainson’s Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole, and Lazuli Bunting. And then there are the many, many rarities that have been noted.  Redhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Sora, Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Franklin's Gull, Common Tern, American White Pelican, Swainson's Hawk, Long-eared Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Bank Swallow, Sage Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Townsend's Solitaire, Lapland Longspur, Lark Sparrow, Yellow Breasted Chat, Indigo Bunting, and a Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal hybrid.  It seems like just about anything could show up in May, so we keep going back to look. Sage Thrasher, 2007-05-03.  Photo by Louise Rutter Northern Mockingbird, 2012-05-10.  Photo by Ollie Oliver Back to BirdBlog index

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