Marymoor Bird Blog

Friends of Marymoor Park

Recent Bird Sightings

Report for February 6, 2025 Birding at Marymoor

The morning was covered in snow, though not very deep. It varied from 0.5" to a max of about 2", but it was clinging to everything in the 32 degree weather. It cleared very soon after sunrise, and we had a very pleasant day with no wind and a few moments of sunshine. Birdwise, it was varied, with long stretches of not much at all, but occasional good stuff.

Highlights:

Greater White-fronted Goose - Six below the weir, with Canadas
Wood Duck - Two drakes seen from the Lake Platform
Cooper's Hawk - Adult, probably a male by size, seen from near the start of the boardwalk
Red-breasted Sapsucker - One at the Rowing Club (FOY)
Pileated Woodpecker - One heard distantly, then seen perhaps even more distantly. First of Year (FOY)
Five Woodpecker Day - With all of them seen
Merlin - One came and went as we finished the main loop
HUTTON'S VIREO - One at the Rowing Club (FOY)
Varied Thrush - One near the windmill
Purple Finch - One singing, unseen, near the first Dog Swim Beach

I saw a RIVER OTTER, far out from the Lake Platform. And Jordan and I saw a COYOTE walking towards us on the grass trail around the East Meadow. Both animals First of Year.

A late scan of the lake turned up our only RING-NECKED DUCKS and confirmed HORNED GREBE. The surprise was 5 TRUMPETER SWANS just off the Lake Platform (FOY)

The HUTTON'S VIREO was just our 5th sighting ever for February. We have one December record, and no sightings at all for January. But Hutton's isn't common at Marymoor, with fewer than 50 records over the last 30 years.

Near Dog Central, we faced a problem I've never had to deal with before. There was a whole flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS foraging from the ground, all the way up the trunks to the crown of large Cottonwoods. They were everywhere. And a BROWN CREEPER was singing. I've never been faced with trying to find the Creeper amongst the numerous Golden-crowned Sparrows that were probing the moss on the trunks and branches!

Misses today were notable, including Green-winged Teal (after 45+ each of the last 2 weeks), Virginia Rail, Short-billed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Bushtit (still none for us in 2025). We also had no Cackling Geese, owls, Northern Shrike, or Pine Siskin.

For the day, though, we had 57 species, with 4 new for the year, putting us at 72 species in 2025.

= Michael Hobbs

Coyote in the East Meadow. Photo by Michael Hobbs

Report for January 30, 2025 Birding at Marymoor

Like last week, we had a frosty start and no wind, but today with no warming sunshine. It was a dull, cold, gray morning both in weather and metaphorically. The ducks and shorebirds below the weir provided the most excitement of the day. After that, the most notable thing was the long list of birds we weren't seeing.

Highlights:

Northern Pintail - At least one drake this morning; Pintail have been seen on less than 1/5th of our winter surveys
Green-winged Teal - Nearly 50 birds below the weir, including our drake "Eurasian" type, same as last week
Common Goldeneye - Quite a few today, after missing them the last two weeks
Killdeer - Four or five below the weir
Wilson's Snipe - Like last week, possibly into double-digits below the weir
Hairy Woodpecker - 2024 was a great year for HAWO, making an appearance on 40 surveys. Today, we had our 4th out of the 5 surveys of 2025
Northern Shrike - East side of the East Meadow, but pretty much the only bird in the entire meadow area
Varied Thrush - One at the Rowing Club near the pond, First of Year (FOY)

Before we got to the mansion, we'd had fewer than 5 AMERICAN ROBINS, but there were quite a few near the park office and mansion, along with almost all of the DARK-EYED JUNCOS of the day. Nearby, we also heard a very few calls from PINE SISKIN, which were especially notable since we had NO OTHER FINCHES. Sparrow numbers were way below usual today as well, though we did manage to find the most usual six species. No owls today, neither pre-dawn nor day-roosting.

Misses were plenty, including Hooded Merganser, American Coot (the first time we've *ever* missed them during Week 5), Short-billed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Cooper's Hawk, Bushtit, and House Finch.

For the day, we just managed 50 species detected, with just one new for the year (vs. 59 and 7 respectively last week). Of last week's 7 new species, only Wood Duck and Northern Pintail were repeated today.

It wasn't rainy or windy, so we had a good walk unspoiled by birds.

= Michael Hobbs

Male Varied Thrush. Photo by Kris Anderson

Report for January 23, 2025 Birding at Marymoor

Our 24 degree starting temperature was by far the coldest this winter, but the skies were clear, the sun was shining (and warming), and there was no wind. Some water is frozen now, including the Rowing Club ponds, and that probably explains why we had many more ducks in the slough this week. Even away from the slough, it was a really good day.

Highlights:

Greater White-fronted Goose - Seven below the weir, with Cacklers and Canadas
Wood Duck - Pair from the Lake Platform. First of Year (FOY)
Northern Pintail - Two males below the weir. First since September, so obviously (FOY)
Green-winged Teal - Notably many, include a "Eurasian" male. We have previously had a total of 10 sightings of 4 "Eurasian" subspecies birds.
American Coot - One in slough, seen from Lake Platform (FOY)
Wilson's Snipe - More than ten below the weir, mostly on the far shore
Hermit Thrush - One at the Rowing Club (FOY)
Purple Finch - At least one seen calling near Dog Meadow (FOY)
AM. TREE SPARROW - One continuing, west edge of East Meadow
Yellow-rumped Warbler - One near the windmill (FOY)

Matt and I also found a day-roosting NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL (FOY), the first time we've ever done so at Marymoor. All other times we've ever had them have been in full-dark, either calling unseen, or calling and glimpsed.

A late scan of the lake confirmed the HORNED GREBE and RING-NECKED DUCK we were fairly sure we'd seen from the Lake Platform.

Misses today included Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Virginia Rail, Short-billed Gull, and Ring-billed Gull. I should have mentioned that in missing American Coot the first 3 weeks of the year, we'd NEVER missed them before. All three weeks had been 30 of 30 years.

For the day, 59 species (!), with SEVEN new for the year, to get us to 67 species in 2025. It was a good day.

= Michael Hobbs

Day-roosting Northern Saw-whet Owl. Photo by Michael Hobbs

Northern Saw-whet Owl (longer lens). Photo by Jordan Roderick

Report for January 16, 2024 Birding at Marymoor

It was rather gray and damp today, but no real precipitation until a bit of mizzle at the Rowing Club. A touch of breeze made it a little chilly, but temps were 37-41, so not exactly cold. It was pretty birdy at times, and pretty interesting.

Highlights:

Virginia Rail - Three responded from across the slough, two more when we clapped on the boardwalk
Ring-billed Gull - At least one in the huge flock of Short-billed Gulls, First of Year (FOY)
Great Blue Heron - At least 17; numbers are growing
Hairy Woodpecker - Several sightings, pretty sure at least 2 birds
Merlin - Mason saw one near the Pea Patch and mansion when he left a bit early (FOY)
Northern Shrike - Seen several times, both west of the slough and in the East Meadow
California Scrub-Jay - Two remain steadfast near the east maintenance buildings
"Eastern" Song Sparrow - We finally got views, though only of the rear, of this bird. Very striking. West edge of East Meadow
Western Meadowlark - 7-8 at the Model Airplane Field (FOY)

Pre-dawn, I heard an owl, though I couldn't tell if it were Western Screech-Owl or Northern Saw-whet Owl. Soon after, I saw an owl that was too big for NSWO, though I'm not sure if it were the same owl I'd heard. My inclination is to believe both were Screeches, and probably the same bird, but I really can't say.

We did not see any AMERICAN TREE SPARROW today, but another birder reported seeing it twice, near the Eastside Audubon sheds in the East Meadow.

Misses today included American Wigeon, Common Goldeneye (may have had a flyover), Hooded Merganser, Anna's Hummingbird, American Coot, and Purple Finch.

For the day, 53 species (including the owl sp.), with three new for the year, bringing us to 60 species so far in 2025.

= Michael Hobbs

"Eastern" subspecies Song Sparrow. Photo by Jordan Roderick

Report for January 9, 2024 Birding at Marymoor

Our ridiculously fine weather continues. Today's low was 41, and by the end it was 47 and sunny with no wind. Yikes! It was birdy too, at least here and there.

Highlights:

Green-winged Teal - Lone drake at the Rowing Club pond, first in 5 weeks, and only the 8th since last spring. First of Year (FOY)
Hooded Merganser - Pair in the slough near the start of the boardwalk (FOY)
Virginia Rail - Two responded from the far side of the slough (FOY)
Killdeer - Heard by Matt, flying over the East Meadow pre-dawn. First since October (FOY)
Cooper's Hawk - One near the concert stage, mobbed by a couple of crows (FOY)
Short-eared Owl - Model Airplane Field, about 7:30 a.m. (FOY)
Northern Shrike - Juvenile, again on the far side of slough. Report also from East Meadow (FOY)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - Not just one, but TWO together, East Meadow, first since 2023 (FOY)
Lincoln's Sparrow - Same flock as the American Tree Sparrow (FOY)

I just happened to check my phone, and saw that John Puschock had found an American Tree Sparrow along the upper west portion of the East Meadow. We did a bit of willy-nilly navigation straight there, only to find TWO of them in the same bush at the same time, about 2 feet apart. I believe this is the 13th record for ATSP at the park. John had been searching for the "Eastern" subspecies Song Sparrow that has been in that same area recently; I heard he saw it later, we did not.

There was a flock of 120-140 SHORT-BILLED GULLS, but they were always too far away for us to search through them for a Ring-billed or other gull.

Besides geese and gulls and crows, the most numerous birds today were AMERICAN ROBINS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS.

A late scan of the lake turned up four HORNED GREBE just off the Marymoor south shore (FOY). I then returned to the park and found the two CALIFORNIA SCRUB-JAYS that have been hanging out near the East Entrance (FOY)

Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull, Bushtit, Marsh Wren, and Purple Finch.

For the day, 53 species, with 11 new for the year, to bring us to 57 species for 2025.

= Michael Hobbs

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