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Bird Sightings Week 1
January 1-7

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Rarities for Week 1:

Eurasian Wigeon 01-Jan-22 M&L Crawford.  First seen 12/31/21
Dunlin 01-Jan-22 Peter Zika, photo
Dunlin 01-Jan-22 M&L Crawford.  First seen 12/31/21
Ruffed Grouse 01-Jan-00 Reported by Jim McCoy
Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker 01-Jan-22 Peter Zika, photos
Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker 07-Jan-16 Hybrid
Common Redpoll 04-Jan-18 At Rowing Club, 2 in alders
Swamp Sparrow 06-Jan-11 Below weir along slough

Report for January 4, 2024                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

A pleasant enough day, with temps in the 40's, no wind, no fog until the end, and the predicted rain mostly a fiction.  It was birdy at first, and then became really quiet for the other 2/3rds of the walk.  Only four of us doing the walk, though.

Highlights:
  • Greater White-fronted Goose - Two, with Canadas
  • Ducks - Nine species, total, with most below the weir
  • Short-billed Gull - About 150, with a couple of RBGU and some GWGU; our first big flock of gulls on the ground this winter 
  • Barred Owl - One at the east end of the boardwalk about 6:45 a.m.
  • White-throated Sparrow - One near the Dog Area porta-potties, with Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows
Misses today included Cooper's Hawk, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin.

The boardwalk should be re-opened by next week. 

For the day, 53 species.

= Michael Hobbs


Barred Owl near the east end of the boardwalk. Photo by Tony Ernst


Greater White-fronted Goose. Photo by Tony Ernst


Brown Creeper. Photo by Tony Ernst


White-throated Sparrow. Photo by Tony Ernst

Report for January 5, 2023                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

The raging winds were supposed to subside, but they never really did.  Otherwise, the weather was pretty nice, and it wasn't too uncomfortable walking around.  It's just that it wasn't very birdy at all.  With strong gusts from the south, birds were hunkered down, hard to hear, hard to see, hard to find.

Highlights:
  • Ring-necked Pheasant - Lonesome George II has made it to the New Year.  Heard him from the Compost Piles, our first detection since Dec. 1.
  • Crows chasing an accipiter in the Pea Patch.  The hawk was a juvenile, and we had trouble deciding if it were Sharpie or Cooper's.  I'm leaving it as Accipiter sp.  
Except for the numerous geese, robins, starlings, coots, and crows, we did have a bit of a sense of accomplishment every time we managed to track down a bird.  Any bird.  For finches, we had a handful of flybys of 2-3 birds, with occasional calls poorly heard, only good enough to barely get House Finch on the list.  We only had one woodpecker - a single Northern Flicker.

Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Wilson's Snipe, Ring-billed Gull, a definite Cooper's Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Bushtit, and Purple Finch.  We have retained great opportunity for First of Year (FOY) birds in coming weeks.

For the day, and the year, 46 species (including the accipiter), plus the Pheasant.

Happy New Year everyone.

= Michael Hobbs

Report for January 6, 2022                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

When I went to bed Wednesday night, the weather forecast looked like God’s warning to Noah.  Near 100% chance of rain every hour forever.  So I was pleasantly surprised when the rain stopped before sunrise, and didn’t pick up again until nearly 11:00 a.m. !  Very fortuitous.  The morning was dark and breezy though, and Bald Eagles (and dogs in the slough) were making life difficult for ducks below the weir.  Long stretches of the morning had no birds seen or heard.  We did have a few good birds, though.
 
Highlights:
  • Eleven species of duck – including three RUDDY DUCK I had on a late scan of the lake, first since 2000
  • Lesser Scaup – one
  • Barn Owl – Matt saw one, East Meadow, just after the pre-dawn rain stopped.  First in 4 weeks
  • Hairy Woodpecker – one heard well, but not seen
  • Northern Shrike – juvenile, East Meadow and then heading towards the model airplane field.  First in 5 weeks
  • White-throated Sparrow – one with other Zonos in the cherries below the weir
The late scan of the lake also turned up our only RING-NECKED DUCKS plus a HORNED GREBE
 
Our misses for the day included many “easy” birds:  Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Marsh Wren, and Purple Finch.
 
We did not see several of the birds reported earlier this week, several of which were quite notable.  New Year’s Day birds reported by Peter Zika and/or Mark & Lee Crawford included:
  • Snow Goose – large flock(s) overhead
  • Wood Duck
  • Northern Shoveler
  • Northern Pintail
  • EURASIAN WIGEON – also reported 2021-12-31 by John Puschock
  • DUNLIN – One bird, Peter Zika photograph; it was along the edge of the slough below the weir.  First Marymoor report since 2015!
  • RED-NAPED x RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER hybrid – Peter got photos of this bird too
  • Pileated Woodpecker
Peter Zika also reported the COMMON REDPOLLS on December 30th, 2021.  I have heard of no reports since.
 
Our start to 2022 comprised 53 species, but the park list is already at 65+
 
Happy New Year!

= Michael Hobbs

Report for January 7, 2021                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

The day was gorgeous; the park was flooded.  High water closed parts of the boardwalk and slough trail, making it impossible to walk the full loop; we had to probe in from each side separately.  Three of us did make it to the Lake Platform (from the east), not that we found many species on the lake.  Waterbirds have *so many* places to be, with all of the flooded fields in the area.  And due to COVID, we again split into two groups to try and be safe.  Still, we managed to find a very respectable number of species.
 
Highlights:
  • Wood Duck – Flyovers, seen by the Jordan’s group
  • Horned Grebe – three FAR out on the lake
  • Virginia Rail – heard (seen by Jordan’s group) east of the East Meadow; the usual haunts along the slough and boardwalk are too flooded
  • Barn Owl – Matt saw one in the shaft opening of the windmill just after 5 a.m.
  • Western Screech-Owl – The owling team heard one from the “Mysterious Thicket” pre-dawn
  • Hairy Woodpecker – female in Big Cottonwood Forest
  • Varied Thrush – female near the Hairy, in the Big Cottonwood Forest
  • Cedar Waxwing – Jordan’s group saw three
  • Western Meadowlark – My group found two in the East Meadow and Dog Meadow, with at least one of them singing
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler – two at the Rowing Club, our first since October!
Singing has really picked up in the last two weeks.  Species heard singing yesterday:  ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, PACIFIC WREN, BEWICK’S WREN, HOUSE FINCH, SONG SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.  The Bewick’s Wrens were really going at it, all over the park.  A few other species were heard tuning up, but not really singing.
 
Misses yesterday included Ring-necked Duck, Marsh Wren, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.
 
For the day, 61 species; a very good start to 2021.
 
= Michael Hobbs

Report for January 2, 2020                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

We had a gorgeous morning that started quite birdy, to start our 2020 lists.  The weather did deteriorate as the morning waned, and by the time we got to the Rowing Club, we were absolutely beset by a light drizzle.  Not a bad day.  The most notable thing were the large numbers of MEW GULLS, AMERICAN ROBINS, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and SONG SPARROWS.  Finches and diving ducks were lacking, though, continuing recent trends.
 
Highlights:
  • American Wigeon – maybe 75, all flybys.  (Might have been a Pintail mixed in somewhere...  PinWigeon flyby flocks are tough)
  • Northern Pintail – pair landed below the weir
  • Barn Owl – at least two, with some great looks before 7:30
  • Western Screech-Owl – Matt heard one predawn
  • Northern Saw-whet Owl – ditto
  • Hairy Woodpecker – probably at least two
  • Pileated Woodpecker – at least two, several sightings
  • Northern Shrike – Margaret saw one on her way out early; we dipped later
  • Western Meadowlark – at least two in the Dog Meadow
Several birds were heard singing; not a big surprise now that we’re past the solstice.  These included Anna’s Hummingbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bewick’s Wren, and Golden-crowned Sparrow.
 
Misses included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Bushtit, Marsh Wren, Purple Finch, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.
 
For the day, AND FOR THE DECADE, 53 species.  Not a bad start.
 
= Michael Hobbs

Report for January 3, 2019                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

We had steady light rain (occasionally fading to drizzle) until maybe 9:30, but then the rain held off until we were done. Otherwise, it was pretty warm, and we mostly missed out on the gusty winds. So, not too bad (though not nearly as nice as New Years Day). As for birds, the day featured no surprises, but few disappointments either.

Highlights:

  • Cackling Goose – about 1000, but a very uniform flock
  • Wood Duck – pair in the slough
  • Common Goldeneye – female from Lake Platform – only 4th sighting of the winter, all of single birds!
  • Mew Gull – maybe 750 on grass soccer fields! Quite possibly a High Count for Marymoor
  • Ring-billed Gull – 2-3, first in six weeks
  • Ring-necked Pheasant – male persists at Pea Patch
  • Green Heron – *heard* at Rowing Club
  • Western Screech-Owl – Matt heard one early
  • Hairy Woodpecker – one seen very distantly across Dog Meadow
  • Pileated Woodpecker – one seen even more distantly west of Lake Platform
  • Northern Shrike – seen, again between Compost Piles and model airplane field; *might* have been 2

Misses included American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal (seen 1/1/19), Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser (seen 1/1/19), Wilson’s Snipe, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

I visited the park on New Day, and besides the GWTE and HOME noted above, I also had VIRGINIA RAIL, PINE SISKIN, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. Hank Heiberg ebirded GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE on 1/2/19.

So today, we had 53 species. With my 5 additional species, plus Hank’s geese, the 2019 Marymoor list stands at 59 species. Not too bad a start for the New Year.

== Michael Hobbs


Pied-billed Grebe.  Photo by Hugh Jennings

Male Common Merganser.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Bufflehead.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Male Ring-necked Pheasant in the Pea Patch.  Photo by Bob Asanoma


Cackling Geese.  Photo by Bob Asanoma


Red-breasted Nuthatch. Photos by Bob Asanoma

Report for January 4, 2018                                                                                                                   Birding at Marymoor

I’ve been doing this a long time – this my 24th year of weekly bird surveys at the park, yet there are still surprises almost every week. There was a lot of nothing-special today; with the weather not too cold, but with overcast and dead air [windless, barometer dropping], we had lots of walking around seeing/hearing nothing. But every now and then... :)

Highlights:

  • Greater White-fronted Goose – one with Cackling Geese
  • Wood Duck – two at small Rowing Club pond
  • Greater Scaup – three in slough
  • Horned Grebe – one far out on lake
  • Western Grebe – three far out on lake, seen late
  • Virginia Rail – one seen well *
  • Wilson’s Snipe – three along slough below weir, seen well
  • Green Heron – one at Rowing Club main pond
  • Barn Owl – our only owl – one at windmill really early, 1-2 East Meadow after 7am
  • Pileated Woodpecker – one heard calling, seen flying distantly to the SE
  • COMMON REDPOLL – two at Rowing Club **

* The VIRGINIA RAIL was a shocker, not because we don’t have them this time of year, but because it was walking down the very narrow trail, through the blackberries, that runs from the Dog Area sheds near the first Dog Swim Beach to the Pea Patch. As we approached, it ducked into the blackberries and disappeared. This is at least 100 feet from the slough, and is nowhere near any marshy area!

** The COMMON REDPOLL were great. We were at the Rowing Club, bemoaning the fact that the only finches we’d seen were some terrible looks at a few HOUSE FINCH, when Matt alerted to two flying finches. I tracked them, noting the deeply notched tail and the lack of siskin-like longitudinal wing stripes, and listening to the call, while Matt whipped out his phone and started to play the redpoll calls. Though distant, the two finches immediately turned and descended, landing in the alder next to us! This was my first Common Redpoll sighting at Marymoor since Halloween day, 1996! This is only the 4th-ever Marymoor Common Redpoll report that I know of ever, the other two being 1-2 birds seen by Brian Bell amongst hundreds of Pine Siskins on 2008-01-10, and one bird photographed by Barry Brugman on 2016-03-21. [A few minutes later, we had a flock of about 40 PINE SISKIN, our 3rd finch species for the day]

Misses today included American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Cooper’s Hawk, Downy Woodpecker (maybe heard), Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Marsh Wren (maybe heard), Purple Finch, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

So, a ho-hum start to 2018 for the Marymoor Survey, with 52 species, and nothing of note – Hah!

== Michael Hobbs


Photo by Bob Asanoma

Male Common Goldeneye.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Wilson's Snipe.  Photo by Brian Bell


Wilson's Snipe.  Photo by Brian Bell


Mixed flock of sparrows: White-crowned (top), Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow.
Photo by Hugh Jennings


Backlighting and foreground branches made photographing the Common Redpolls very challenging.  Photo by Brian Bell


Common Redpoll.  Photo by Bob Asanoma


Common Redpoll.  Photo by Bob Asanoma

Report for January 5, 2017                                                                                                                    Birding at Marymoor

We got off to a frigid but very nice start to 2017. By 8:00 a.m., the thermometers were reading 12 or 13 degrees F, which is COLD. But it was a gorgeous, sunny morning with no wind, and with low humidity. Simply bundling up was sufficient to keep warm. With the sunshine, the birds were out and active. And with many nearby ponds and streams frozen, the river and lake were full of birds seeking open water.

Highlights:

SNOW GOOSE                   Juvenile with Canadas at Concert Venue
CINNAMON TEAL            One female amongst Green-winged Teal below weir
Northern Shoveler                 Probably at least 3
Common Merganser              50-70 on lake – very high count for Marymoor
- 12 species of duck total -
Western Grebe                      At least one on lake
Double-creasted Cormorant  Maybe 40 on lake – many for Marymoor
Killdeer                                 Minimum of 37, maybe as many as 45
Red-breasted Sapsucker       One near mansion
Yellow-rumped Warbler       1 drab Audubon’s type, along slough below weir
Lincoln’s Sparrow                 2+ at Compost Piles, with great looks at 1
Western Meadowlark           11 or 12, SE of Climbing Rock

There were about 100 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, along with many GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARDS, and several diving ducks below the weir. It was great fun to pick out the lone CINNAMON TEAL female who conveniently sat on the near shore. Matt first noticed her, spotting frost crystals on her head. Once we looked at her, though, we were saying, “That’s not a Green-wing...”   All of our previous sightings of Cinnamon Teal at Marymoor have been during spring migration.

It was also fun to pick out the NORTHERN SHOVELERS, including a female who initially had her bill tucked in.

Besides the birds, it was a good day for mammals, with a COYOTE on the far side of the slough, and a RIVER OTTER from the lake platform. Matt heard a BEAVER slap in the dark of night, and I saw two MUSKRAT in a late viewing of the lake.

For the day, and the year, 57 species.

== Michael Hobbs


Coyote on the far side of the slough.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Coyote on the far side of the slough.  Photo by Ollie Oliver
 


Canada Geese in the slough below the weir.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Male Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Ring-necked Ducks.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Ring-necked Ducks and a Greater Scaup.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Female Cinnamon Teal.  Note the large bill and plain face.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Female Cinnamon Teal.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Female Northern Shovelers look like teal, but have orange bills.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Male Northern Shovelers have black bills, however.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Juvenile Pied-billed Grebe (note small, unmarked bill).  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Hooded Mergansers.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Fox Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Fox Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Bald Eagle pair at lake.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Lincoln's Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


We often see Meadowlarks flocking with European Starlings.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Western Meadowlark.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Juvenile Snow Goose with Canadas, inside the concert venue.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Drab Yellow-rumped Warbler along slough edge.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Report for January 7, 2016                                                                                                                     Birding at Marymoor

A really nice way to start the year today. Thin overcast made for tricky light at times, but there was no precip., no wind, and it wasn’t too cold – mostly in the mid-30’s (33-41), though there was frost on the ground and some slippery pathways. It was really birdy, in the way I’ve seen happen when there’s nice weather and when it’s obvious that the solstice has passed. I think the birds begin to celebrate the promise of a spring to come.

Highlights:

Greater White-fronted Goose         9 !!! with Cackling Geese
Wood Duck                                   1 male in slough, seen from Rowing Club
Greater Scaup                                1 female near mouth of slough
Horned Grebe                                3 on lake
Western Grebe                               1 or 2 on lake
California Gull                                 1 with Mews and GWGUs
Barn Owl                                        Matt had one around 7 am
Northern Saw-whet Owl                 Matt heard one around 6 am
R.-breasted x R.-naped Sapsucker  Hybrid south of mansion
                                                             had extensive black up back of head
MERLIN                                         One atop tall fir NE of mansion
Northern Shrike                               Juvenile N of fields 7-8-9 as usual
Purple Finch                                    3-4 female-type south of Pea Patch

The RED-BREASTED x RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER was just a bit west of the concert stage. It had black up the back of the neck crossed by a red nape stripe like a Red-naped, but the front of the bird was very much like a Red-breasted. There was no black below the red bib, and no (or only a very minimal) white stripe running back from the top of the eye. It looked similar enough to the hybrid seen 2015-10-27 by Spencer Hildie that it may be the same bird, though today’s bird had a more obvious black stripe across the back head above the red nape than shows in Spencer’s photos (see http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog/Week44.htm)

In all a very nice day, with 56 species + the hybrid to start our 2016 list.

== Michael Hobbs


Bald Eagle near the nest.  Photo by Bob Asanoma

American Coots.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Male Bufflehead (foreground) and male Hooded Merganser.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Very white-breasted 3rd-year Bald Eagle.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Greater White-fronted Goose.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Greater White-fronted Goose.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Merlin.  Photo by Bob Asanoma


Golden-crowned Kinglet.  Photo by Bob Asanoma

Report for January 1, 2015                                                                                                                  Birding at Marymoor

2015 – 0600-1330, - 27F-42F, - clear, cold.  56 species (including two species found only by the EAS field trip)


Male American Wigeon next to female Mallard.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Male Purple Finch.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Fox Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Steller's Jay.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Golden-crowned Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Brown Creeper.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Male Hairy Woodpecker. Photo by Ollie Oliver


"Slate-colored" Dark-eyed Junco.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Report for January 2, 2014                                                                                                                     Birding at Marymoor

We really had a fine start to the New Year at Marymoor today. Yeah, it was overcast and we had a trivial amount of mizzle, but it was over 40 degrees with little wind and with some birdiness. Not a lot of real highlights, but a good day anyway.

Highlights:

Cooper’s/Sharpie           First accipiter of the year, and we couldn’t tell
Virginia Rail                    Responded faintly from start of boardwalk
Herring Gull ???              Looked good, but gulls would NOT allow approach
Pileated Woodpecker     Been a good fall/winter for them
MERLIN                       Taiga subspecies, at sunrise near mansion
Northern Shrike             Adult, East Meadow
Pacific Wren                  At least one, seen, Big Cottonwood Forest

There was a COYOTE in Lot B just before 8:00 a.m.

I also birded Marymoor yesterday afternoon, concentrating on portions of the park that we don’t cover usually.  Highlights yesterday include THREE !!! WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS in a bush north of the Rowing Club building, and several PURPLE FINCH even further north of RC west of slough.  We tried, and failed, to relocate the White-throated Sparrows today.

So, for the day yesterday, 42 species, for today, 52 species, and for 2014, we’re up to 56 species.

== Michael Hobbs


Merlin.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Male Gadwall.  Photo by Hugh Jennings


Carpy or Shooper's?  To my eye the head shape and markings look like Cooper's Hawk, but the bill looks small, and the tail looks fairly square and short.
The bird looks small overall, and the feet are not overly large.  I believe this bird has caused us much identification consternation this winter, and we've probably labeled it both as Cooper's and Sharpie on different weeks.  I'm leaning towards Cooper's.
Photo by Ollie Oliver


Spotted Towhee.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Steller's Jay.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Green-winged Teal at the Rowing Club.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Horrible cellphone photo of one of the three White-throated Sparrows north of the Rowing Club building, 2014-01-01.  Photo by Michael Hobbs

Report for January 3, 2013                                                                                                                             Birding at Marymoor

A new year adds a bit of excitement, as we eagerly await a new set of birds for the year. I rushed down to Marymoor, eager, and found it to be COLD. A frigid 26 degrees pre-dawn, and an impenetrable layer of fog rolled in by 7:15, obliterating hopes for more owls. Before then, though, we did have some fairly good looks at a SHORT-EARED OWL, Bird #1 for the Marymoor Park 2013 list. However, even after the sun rose, the cold and the fog lingered for quite a while, and many of the birds may just have flown up to the surrounding hills or something, because it wasn’t very birdy today. It did eventually become sunny, gorgeous, and moderately warm (maybe getting to 40 degrees), but it never got birdy.

Highlights:

California Quail                       One heard, but never seen, Compost Piles
Western Grebe                       A few out on the lake
Virginia Rail                            1-2 heard east of East Meadow
Red-breasted Sapsucker        Near park office
Hairy Woodpecker                Near south end of Dog Meadow
Northern Shrike                     North of fields 7-8-9
Purple Finch                           Some nice looks, incl. well-marked male
Red Crossbill                         Continue to hang out around mansion

We also had probably the same COYOTE I saw on the 31st, this time on the far side of the slough just above the weir, giving us the most amazing show.  Josh heard BEAVER(s?) in the pre-dawn.

For the day, 53 species. Ollie had a Pacific Wren yesterday to bring the 2013 list up to 54 species.

== Michael Hobbs


Vee of Canada Geese heading down the slough in the fog


We spent a long time trying to decide the species of accipiter that landed in a tree.
Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz

We decided it was a Cooper's Hawk, though some remained unconvinced.
Photo by Ollie Oliver

This coyote put on a great show for us.  Photo by Hugh Jennings
Click here for a stunning display of photos of this coyote

Common Goldeneye pair.  Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz

Coots rarely manage to actually take flight, preferring to run across the water.
Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz

Preening Northern Shrike.  Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz

American Coot, 2013-01-02.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Margaret reported that this Mourning Dove at the Viewing Mound was missing its tail.
Photo by Margaret Snell, 2012-12-28

Report for January 5, 2012                                                                                                                             Birding at Marymoor

It was cold and blowy, though it didn't rain, thankfully. It was also pretty quiet, with the birds mostly staying hunkered down. We didn't even see a Bewick's Wren until we got to the Rowing Club, for example. But it was nice to be back birding at the park again in a new year.

Highlights:

Gadwall                         5 at weir
Common Goldeneye      Several in slough
Hooded Merganser       10 total
Cooper's Hawk             1
Virginia Rail                   1-2 responded to clapping, at the bend in the boardwalk
Anna's Hummingbird      Male displaying near mansion
Hairy Woodpecker        1 near start of boardwalk
Northern Shrike             1 west of fields 7-8-9

For the day, 50 species. Mark & Lee Crawford had 2 TRUMPETER SWANS on January 1, along with 5 other species we didn’t' get today, to bring the week and year lists to 56 species.

== Michael Hobbs


Male Gadwall behind female Mallard near the weir.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Mew Gulls swirling overhead at sunrise.  Photos by Ollie Oliver

Mew Gulls on the grass soccer fields.  Photos by Ollie Oliver

Male Downy Woodpecker.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Northern Harrier, 2011-12-31.  Photo by Lillian Reis

Adult Greater White-fronted Goose, 2011-12-31.  Photo by Lillian Reis

Cackling Geese, 2011-12-31.  Photo by Lillian Reis

                                               Banding Data

Band Number 1927-52563 @04                             Banded 07/26/201
Species CACKLING GOOSE                                    Sex MALE
Age of Bird HATCHED IN 2010 OR EARLIER

Location NEAR CHEVAK, WADE HAMPTON CENSUS AREA, ALASKA, USA
                   (COORDINATES: LAT: 61.41278; LON: -165.47778 )

Bander MS MELISSA L GABRIELSON
               YUKON DELTA NWR
                P O BOX 346
                BETHEL AK 99559

Encounter Data
Location
REDMOND, KING COUNTY,                Encountered 12/08/2011
                   WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
                   Desc: MARYMOOR PARK

Report for January 6, 2011                                                                                                                           Birding at Marymoor

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR



About a dozen of us got off to a good start this morning, but the dark overcast skies started releasing a steady light rain which seemed to cut down on the birds.  The rain lasted most of the morning.  But the temps in the high 40's, and light winds made the morning not too unpleasant to be out in.

Best highlight was another sighting of the SWAMP SPARROW about 100 yards downstream of the weir, the 4th time this winter that we've found it there. A nice year bird!

Because this is the first trip of the year, I'll publish the complete list here.

Greater White-fronted Goose   1 with Canadas
Cackling Goose                        Huge flocks
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail                        Flyover flock
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Barn Owl                                  2 seen early
SHORT-EARED OWL            2 seen early, model airplane field
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
SWAMP SPARROW
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

Except for Northern Flicker (which we almost missed), we had NO WOODPECKERS, except for an unidentified bird in flight.

For the day, and the year, 56 species

== Michael


Swamp Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow photo by Ollie Oliver

Common Goldeneye pair.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Male Ring-necked Ducks.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


Adult White-crowned Sparrow with Song Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


American Robin with Song Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver


2 Bobcat, 2010-12-31


Four photos by Marc Hoffman

Report for January 7, 2010

Still being a bit jet-lagged, getting up early wasn't a problem for me this morning.  I got down to the East Meadow by 7:00 am for one of the best sunrises ever.  Before the sun came up, though, we had pretty good looks at both a BARN OWL and a SHORT-EARED OWL - a great start for 2010 at Marymoor.

Once the day really began, temps were moderate, the wind was light, the morning mostly overcast though clearing.  The birds were fairly hard to come by, though.  Things started to pick up at the lake, but things didn't really get birdy until we were going around the mansion area.  The Rowing Club was also great.

Just about every birder in the state showed up, it seemed.  I counted 22 people (not everyone was there the whole time), which was really too many...

Highlights:

Common Goldeneye          Great views in the slough, more on lake
Green Heron                      Continues on east edge of RC pond
MERLIN                           Landed on a favorite perch near stage
Virginia Rail                        Heard a couple from the boardwalk
Barn Owl                           One near windmill, one in East Meadow
Short-eared Owl                East Meadow after 7:00 a.m.
Red-breasted Sapsucker    One NE of mansion
Northern Shrike                 East Meadow
Yellow-rumped Warbler    2+, including bright Audubon's at RC
Townsend's Warbler          At least 1, NE of mansion

ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS were ubiquitous - I'd guess 8+.  Several times we saw two chasing each other.  A couple of them, at least, were doing their loop display flights complete with the popping noise.

For the day, we managed 59 species.

== Michael

 


Scott Ramos caught some of the glory of sunrise

Golden-crowned Sparrows

Scott Ramos saw two River Otters in the slough

Common Goldeneye on the lake (Pied-billed Grebe in the background).
Photo by Ollie Oliver

Adult White-crowned Sparrow at the Compost Piles.
Photo by Scott Ramos

Brown Creeper

The creeper appeared frozen in place, perhaps because it saw the Merlin

Merlin atop whip-snag near concert stage.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Song Sparrow.  Photo by Ollie Oliver

Ryan Merrill's photo of the Brown Creeper

Two adult White-crowned Sparrows, apparently of the gambelli subspecies.
Photo by Ryan Merrill.

Report for January 1, 2009

Conditions were really bad, but the light rain early and the dark grey conditions kept the birds quiet. Most birds showed up in ones and twos, with just a few flocks. One nice flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, FOX SPARROWS, SONG SPARROWS near the first water access, a nice WILSON'S SNIPE flew from the edge before we reached the weir and circled back and landed on the edge about 30 feet away. Several flocks of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS flew over, probably about 30 in all. A nice mixed flock of BUSHTITS, kinglets and chickadees were way up in the tops of the cottonwoods before Dog Central - too high under low light conditions to make reliable identification possible. They followed us down the path until just before leaving the dog area. We wondered if we were going to miss DOWNY WOODPECKER, but one showed up just before the gate to the cottonwood forest.

As we walked the interpretive path, Rachel spotted a nice drake WOOD DUCK, who gave us quick looks before hiding along the river. Out at the platform, there was one BALD EAGLE in the usual place in the near cottonwood tree and another with prey on one of the pilings. BUFFLEHEAD were present in large numbers along the river and at the lake (probably in excess of 40 - they kept moving around). A couple of PIED-BILLED GREBES near the pier. No response from rails today.

Because the water was high three people walked around and met us. As we walked out of the Alder forest I spotted a RING-NECKED PHEASANT crossing the path down near the large isolated cottonwood. Just around the bend Rachel said they had a flock of PURPLE FINCHES just before the bridge. We missed them. The sparrow piles were completely dead - nobody home. A small flock of CANADA GEESE across from the sparrow piles included two CACKLING GEESE. The AMERICAN KESTREL was back on the soccer goals and put on a show for us.

The pea patch was dead - no birds. As we walked toward the mansion we could hear probably GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS high in the trees, but the wind had picked up by then and we never got a really good view. As we approached the shelter across from the cars we had a nice flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (close views), CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and a BROWN CREEPER.

The pond was still frozen at the rowing club, and nothing new on the river.

- Brian Bell

All Photos by Ollie Oliver

American Coot

Male Bufflehead


Male American Kestrel


Male American Kestrel

Report for January 3, 2008   

Nine of us slogged through a day with weather that ranged from 'Eh? to Uggh!  Clouds, drizzle, light rain, wind; sometimes better than other times.  Never nice.  The wind at the lake platform was really nasty.  Not too cold though, and no really hard rain;  it could have been worse.

Birding was patchy and mostly not very good, though we had a couple of surprises late.  Our list ended up with a fair number of species (52), but quite a few of those were seen by only one or two people, or were heard-only birds.  Still, it was a start for 2008.

Highlights:

Wood Duck            4 flushed from the boardwalk
Red-necked Grebe  1 surfaced near the RC dock
Peregrine Falcon      Nice adult fly-by NE of the mansion
Barn Owl                 Apparently they gave quite a show early
Brown Creeper        Seen at 3 disparate spots
W. Meadowlark      3 at grass fields N of compost piles

== Michael

 

Report for January 3, 2007

The weather this morning was iffy, and it got worse from there for a while.  By 9:00, it was
raining hard for a brief time, but then it cleared slowly throughout the rest of the morning.
Last week, about which I failed to post, it was very birdy but with few species.  Today was less
birdy, but the list of birds was longer.

Highlights:

Cackling Goose         Minimas, Taverner's, and one ???
Trumpeter Swan         7, flying east, silent.  Can't rule out Tundra
Bald Eagle             Pair with new nest appeared chased 3rd adult
Pileated Woodpecker    1 flew up the slough
G.-crowned Kinglet     Including one huge flock near mansion - 40+
Western Meadowlark     4 posed nicely north of grass soccer fields

For the day, and coincidentally for the year :), 53 species.

Last week, highlights included a flock of Northern Pintail, the Bald Eagles working on their new
nest, a very noisy Pileated Woodpecker, a Northern Shrike in the East Meadow, and Varied Thrush.

== Michael 

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