Recent Bird Sightings
Report for April 12, 2018
Birding at Marymoor
We had about 5 hours without rain, from around 5:15-10:15 a.m.,
and we managed to fit most of a complete Marymoor visit within
that period. Matt got rained on when he first got to the park
hours before dawn, and we got chased out by rain by 11:00 a.m.
It was not terribly birdy, being dark and a bit breezy, and the
winter birds are thinning out. But this time of year, even a
not-terribly-birdy day has a lot to see, and there are plenty of
species that might be found. We found some.
Highlights:
- Cackling Goose – a few distant flocks at sunrise
to show they haven’t all moved on
- Wood Duck – had a flock of about 10, which is
pretty high for Marymoor
- Band-tailed Pigeon – first time we’ve had them on
a survey this year
- Eurasian Collared-Dove – 1 at the south edge of
the East Meadow. First for 2018
- Anna’s Hummingbird – two nests, one with at least
1 baby
- TURKEY VULTURE – one yesterday, a distant one
today – First of 2018
- Osprey – pair at nest, so both are back now
- Western Screech-Owl – Matt and I had brief views
pre-dawn
- Merlin – Sharon saw one
- SAY’S PHOEBE – two in East Meadow, one in Pea
Patch both yesterday and today
- Barn Swallow – one yesterday, at least 3 today –
First of 2018
- Hermit Thrush – one near start of boardwalk,
maybe one more
- AMERICAN PIPIT – five on grass soccer fields,
gravel parking lot – First of 2018
- BREWER’S SPARROW – one in East Meadow. This is
the 6 or 7th sighting ever for Marymoor. First of 2018.
Turns out the bird was present on April 11th as well, and
Gloria Conrad got photos (see below).
It was a great day for mammal sightings as well:
- Eastern Gray Squirrel – of course
- American Beaver – three seen swimming to the
lodge, their broad heads like wedges on the surface
- Muskrat – one in the slough
- Eastern Cottontail – pretty much of course
- MINK – one working the far shore from the Lake
Platform gave us long looks. First confirmed sighting since
June, 2015
So not a bad day... 68 species, and adding Eurasian
Collared-Dove, Turkey Vulture, Barn Swallow, American Pipit, and
Brewer’s Sparrow, we’re up to 108 species for 2018.
== Michael Hobbs |

Canada Geese. Photo by
Hugh Jennings

Juvenile Bald Eagle. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Red-breasted Sapsucker. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Anna's Hummingbird on nest. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Female Downy Woodpecker excavating a nest hole. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Savannah Sparrow. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Brewer's Sparrow, 2018-04-11. Photo by Gloria Conrad |

Brewer's Sparrow, 2018-04-11. Photo by Gloria Conrad |
Report for April 5, 2018
Birding at Marymoor
A really good day today. The mizzle abated from about 6:30-9:30;
and afterwards it was only mizzle. Steady overcast, but no wind
the whole morning. The park was absolutely overrun with AMERICAN
ROBINS – I’ll list the count as 400, but I think that’s probably
low. Huge amounts of robin song made hearing anything else
difficult. By later in the morning (the robins started well
pre-dawn), the skies were filled with large flocks of
VIOLET-GREEN/TREE SWALLOWS – mostly the former. Total swallow
numbers really difficult, but certainly more than 400 and maybe
more than 1000, depending on how far out on the lake one wanted
to count.
Highlights:
- Cackling Goose – one flock of ~60; only rarely
have had them later in spring
- TRUMPETER SWAN – one landed in the slough south
of Dog Central
- American Wigeon – four on the lake Killdeer –
nest with 4 eggs in grass/gravel field
- California Gull – at least 1
- Osprey – one near nest; this was our first
sighting of the year actually on the survey
- BARN OWL – one flying briefly around 8:48, Dog
Meadow
- Western Screech-Owl – Matt saw one east of the
boardwalk, 6:00ish
- – All 5 woodpeckers – Pileated seen by Sharon and
Jordan right after the walk
- N. Rough-winged Swallow – one seen from Lake
Platform – First for 2018
- CLIFF SWALLOW – one found on a late scan of the
lake – First for 2018
- HERMIT THRUSH – one immediately south of Dog
Meadow – First for 2018
- Western Meadowlark – four north of Fields 7-8-9,
one singing
- Brown-headed Cowbird – one male – First of 2018
- COMMON YELLOWTHROAT – one singing unseen from
across the slough – First of 2018
The BARN OWL looked like it might have been flushed by dogs,
and then appeared to roost hidden in the triangle separating the
south end of the Dog Meadow from the East Meadow.
This is our latest spring sighting confirmed for TRUMPETER
SWAN, though we have 2 later sighting of SWAN sp., one from
2017-04-10, and second a very unusual date of 2012-06-14, when 5
unidentified swans flew by.
Conversely, this was our 3rd-earliest CLIFF SWALLOW ever; the
earliest was 2004-04-01.
Birds I saw earlier this week were HOODED MERGANSER on 4/3 –
our first in 5 weeks; COOPER’S HAWK on 4/2 – appeared to be
carrying a twig into the Big Cottonwood Forest – nesting???;
BELTED KINGFISHER on 4/3; VARIED THRUSH on 4/4; and at least two
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS on 4/4 – First of 2018.
For the day, 66 species (plus two sightings of unidentified
pigeon/dove that may have been EUCD). For the week, 72 species.
For 2018, we’re at 100 species.
== Michael Hobbs |

Trumpeter Swan in the slough. Photo by Hugh Jennings

Male American Robin. Photo by Michael Hobbs
Cooper's Hawk. Photo by Hugh Jennings |

Willow in bloom. Photo by Michael
Hobbs |

Salmonberry in bloom, 2018-04-03. Photo by Michael Hobbs |
Report for March 29, 2018
Birding at Marymoor
We faced only a little mizzle, which dampened down the bird
activity for a touch, but mostly it was a really nice morning.
Fairly birdy too.
Highlights:
- American Wigeon – three below weir
- Red-breasted Sapsuckers – drumming, excavating,
flirting
- Anna’s Hummingbird – female on her nest along the
slough near the start of the boardwalk
- Rufous Hummingbird – still no blooming
Salmonberry, but already there are several males, displaying
- Western Screech-Owl – called from near the
“Mysterious Thicket” sign about 6:15am
- Hutton’s Vireo – seen, heard again near windmill
- Savannah Sparrow – first time we’ve heard them
sing at Marymoor this year
- American Goldfinch – 2 or 3 males, one singing –
First for 2018
- Western Meadowlark – at least one singing
Wednesday, I did about a 2 1/4 hour walk at Marymoor and
found 5 species we didn’t have today: WESTERN GREBE, VIRGINIA
RAIL (heard only), AMERICAN COOT, COOPER’S HAWK, and the first
OSPREY of 2018.
For the day, we had 64 species, with 69 for the week. I think
the addition of OSPREY and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH gets us to 91
species for 2018.
== Michael Hobbs |

This Green Heron seems to spend part
of every morning on the beaver lodge across the slough from Dog
Central. Photo by Hugh Jennings

Northern Flicker. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Adult Bald Eagle. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |

Tree Swallows. Photo by Hugh
Jennings |

Female Anna's Hummingbird on the
nest. Photo by Hugh Jennings |

Male Anna's Hummingbird. Photo by
Hugh Jennings |
Report for March 22, 2018
Birding at Marymoor
It rained. Sometimes it was just wind-blown drizzle, sometimes
it was just steady rain. Some birds sat, motionless and silent,
as we walked past. Undoubtedly others took shelter where we
could neither see nor hear them. There were exceptions – the
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were singing and feeding as if they were
too small for raindrops to hit. But it was mostly quiet and bird
free. That said, we still managed 56 species, because we are
doggedly determined, and Matt has good ears.
Highlights:
- Cackling Goose – Flocks in large strings flying
southeast again – too far to hear
- Wood Duck – first since January – male at Rowing
Club, female flying
- Rufous Hummingbird – one male briefly seen by a
couple of us.
- Green Heron – first in six weeks – landed on
beaver lodge again
- Purple Finch – one singing male was our only
finch of any kind
- Savannah Sparrow – not back in numbers yet; one
seen, East Meadow
- Western Meadowlark – at least 1 singing, did a
display flight too
The Rowing Club site was good to us, with WOOD DUCK,
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and PACIFIC WREN
all new for the day, plus our only views of HAIRY WOODPECKER and
NORTHERN FLICKER (both previously heard).
We had a pretty good day for ducks with nine species, we had
3 species of gull, and 4 species of woodpecker, which made up
for a poor showing by finches, plus many other “misses”. That
said, the only birds I was really surprised we didn’t see were
Violet-green Swallow and House Finch. And there may well have
been Violet-greens flying overhead, but viewing conditions
mostly left us at “white-bellied swallow”.
Earlier in the week, I did have HOUSE FINCH, as well as
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and COOPER’S HAWK, both absent today.
Nothing new for the year today, though I had two BAND-TAILED
PIGEONS last Saturday, which were new for 2018.
So, 56 species today, 59 species so far this week (starting
Monday), and 93 species for 2018. I am almost dry.
== Michael Hobbs |

Killdeer below weir. Photo by
Hugh Jennings

Green Heron on beaver lodge across
from Dog Central. Photo by Hugh Jennings |

Downy Woodpecker on a Red
Elderberry. Photo by Hugh Jennings |

In bad light, Anna's Hummingbirds
show very little color. Photo by Hugh Jennings |
Report for March 15,
2018
Birding at Marymoor
A clear night made for a frigid morning – just 27 degrees to
start, with a fair amount of fog. But clear skies and no wind
meant things warmed up, reaching 50 degrees when we called it a
day just before noon. It was BIRDY, and while we couldn’t find
the Loggerhead Shrike seen yesterday at the model airplane
field, we did find many species, including a SAY’S PHOEBE in the
Pea Patch.
Highlights:
- Cackling Goose – probably at least 2000 in
endless strings of flyover birds heading southeast
- American Wigeon – pair in slough below weir
- Lesser Scaup – one bird – first year male?
- RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD – male harassing chickadees at
south end of Dog Meadow – First of 2018
- Great Blue Heron – I counted 48 at the heronry,
with others scattered about
- Northern Harrier – Sharon saw one as she was
leaving the park
- BARN OWL – We dipped on all owls pre-dawn, but
then had a Barn flying the East Meadow at 10 am!
- - All five common woodpeckers -
- SAY’S PHOEBE – one in Pea Patch
- HUTTON’S VIREO – singing in cedars next to
windmill
- Violet-green Swallow – seen flying over weir
later in the morning. Yesterday’s ~60 were First of 2018
- House Finch – a few singing, and actually got to
see one. Scarce so far this year
- Purple Finch – at least one singing, and actually
got to see three. Scarce so far this year
- Pine Siskin – 1 or 2 in mansion area – first
since Week 1
- Savannah Sparrow – at least 1 in East Meadow
- Lincoln’s Sparrow – two in East Meadow
- Dark-eyed Junco – incredibly numerous and
widespread, many singing
- Western Meadowlark – perhaps 5, some singing
- Yellow-rumped Warbler – both Audubon’s and Myrtle
types, singing
We had a good day for animals too, with Eastern Gray
Squirrel, American Beaver, Muskrat, Eastern Cottontail,
“Black-tailed” Mule Deer, Pacific Treefrog (heard only), Painted
Turtle, and Red-eared Slider.
Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser,
Virginia Rail, Wilson’s Snipe, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull,
Northern Shrike, American Goldfinch, and White-crowned Sparrow.
For the day, we hit 60 species for the first time in 2018.
For the year, since last Thursday’s report, we’ve added Rufous
Hummingbird, American Kestrel, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike,
Violet-green Swallow, Savannah Sparrow, and Western Meadowlark,
to bring our 2018 list to 92 species. Quite a 7-day stretch!
== Michael Hobbs |

Adult Bald Eagle. Photo by Hugh Jennings

Barn Owl flying the East Meadow at 10 a.m. Photo by Bob Asanoma |

Barn Owl flying the East Meadow at 10 a.m. Photo by Mason Flint |

Barn Owl flying the East Meadow at 10 a.m. Photo by Jordan Roderick |

Tree Swallow in the East Meadow. Photo by Bob Asanoma |

Western Meadowlark in the East Meadow. Photo by Bob Asanoma |

Say's Phoebe. Photo by Milt Vine |

Say's Phoebe. Photo by Hugh Jennings |

Hutton's Vireo in cedar near windmill. Photo by Milt Vine |

Ruby-crowned Kinglet in cedar near windmill. Photo by Milt
Vine |
Report for March 09-14, 2018
Birding at Marymoor
March 10:
Yesterday, Kazuto Shibata got photos of a SAY’S PHOEBE at
Marymoor, so I went down this morning to see if I could find it.
Alas, it probably flew on during the night. However, my trip was
not wasted.
I was greeted by a WESTERN MEADOWLARK in full song at the
north end of the East Meadow.
At the end of my walk, there was a male AMERICAN KESTREL on
the central perch post in the East Meadow.
Also new for 2018 was a SAVANNAH SPARROW, also in the East
Meadow.
Birds we didn’t have on last Thursday’s survey were ROCK
PIGEON, VIRGINIA RAIL (first since Week 1), PURPLE FINCH, and
LINCOLN’S SPARROW. There were some TREE SWALLOWS flying the East
Meadow and a couple of RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS near the west end
of the boardwalk. I also heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER calling
several times.
Not a bad 90 minutes of walk, where of the 36 species, 10 are
notable.
So I believe our 2018 list is now at 89 species, with 66 of
those being reported this week.
== Michael Hobbs
March 14:
I went down to the model airplane field at
Marymoor this morning to see the Say's Phoebe Michael Hobbs
reported yesterday (there were two here this morning).
There was also a Loggerhead Shrike working the weed line at the
back of the airplane field.
Todd Sahl |

Say's Phoebe, 2018-03-09. Photo by Kazuto Shibata

Barn Owl, 2018-03-13. Photo by Sravanthi Yalamanchili |

Loggerhead Shrike, 2018-03-14. Photo by Barry Brugman |

Loggerhead Shrike, 2018-03-14. Photo by Barry Brugman |
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