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Friends of Marymoor Park
Recent Bird Sightings
Report for February 26, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
We were blown away by all the little birds at Marymoor today. Wait, that's not quite right. *We* were at Marymoor Park today, where *all the little birds* were blown away.
Well, it wasn't quite that windy, but it was blowing strong enough that birds were hard to hear and harder to see if they were smaller than a robin. Temps were in the high 40's though, and it was only partly overcast, so not too bad for walking. Just hard to keep your hat on.
Highlights:
- Cackling Goose - Two with a few Canadas - our first in six weeks
- Northern Pintail - Drake with Green-winged Teal below the weir - First of Year (FOY)
- Great Blue Heron - Now at about 100 birds at the nests, with active nest building
- Cooper's Hawk - One chasing a Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-breasted Sapsucker - One seen calling in the Big Cottonwood Forest - only our second for the year
- Merlin - Landed across the slough from the Dog Area. First since Jan. 1 for us
- California Scrub-Jay - One calling at about 6:40 a.m. from NE of the East Maintenance Facility (FOY)
- Purple Finch - One singing male was OUR ONLY FINCH
- White-throated Sparrow - Two at the south end of the Dog Meadow
- "Eastern" Song Sparrow - Glimpsed in its usual location NW of the East Meadow sheds
- Western Meadowlark - Several singing north of Fields 7-8-9
Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Wilson's Snipe, Ring-billed Gull, Marsh Wren (may have heard), House Finch, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
For the day, at least 52 species. For the year, we're at an even 75 species.
= Michael Hobbs |
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White-throated Sparrow. Photo by Michael Hobbs
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This individual was especially brightly marked; Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Report for February 19, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
It was about as typical a February day as you could get this morning. Temps ranging from 32-38, cloudy, pretty quiet, few surprises. One of the biggest surprises was the lack of precipitation beyond a few snowflakes (not even Flurries, since we could actually have counted the number of flakes we saw).
Highlights:
- Horned Grebe - I was able to confirm that the tiny white dots on the lake were, in fact, Horned Grebe
- Barred Owl - Matt was accosted (but not hit) by one pre-dawn near the "Mysterious Thicket". First of Year (FOY)
- Pileated Woodpecker - Pair heard and glimpsed, and later seen up close
- Northern Shrike - East Meadow, seen from the Viewing Mound
- Varied Thrush - One heard singing across the slough from the Lake Platform. Only our 2nd of the winter!
- Western Meadowlarks - A dozen on the grass soccer fields
After hearing them often, we found the pair working a short snag near the South Picnic Shelter (due east of the concert stage). We were able to get within a few feet of them as they worked extensively on the trunk. They paid us no attention at all.
We had only nine species singing today, down significantly from last week. There also were just way fewer birds around.
Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Cooper's Hawk, Bushtit, and Pine Siskin.
For the day, 52 species. Adding Barred Owl, we're up to 73 species for 2026.
= Michael Hobbs |
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Female Pileated Woodpecker; Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Male Pileated Woodpecker, a little higher on the same snag; Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Report for February 12, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
Today started with just a hit of frost and a hint of fog. The thin overcast burned thinner all morning, giving us more and more sunshine and warmth. Starting right around 32 degrees, it was 47 degrees when we were done.
So much singing today!
Highlights:
- Great Blue Heron - 75+ at the heronry, plus a few others
- Cooper's Hawk - One, near the southwest edge of the Dog Meadow, was our first in 4 weeks
- Four woodpecker day - Downies, at least 1 Hairy, 2 Pileateds (very noisy and obvious), and a horde of extremely vocal Northern Flickers
- Hutton's Vireo - One singing from across the slough near the windmill
- SWAMP SPARROW - One(or maybe two?), west side of the slough a little south of the Dog Area. Our first since 2022. First of Year (FOY)
Singing birds comprised Anna's Hummingbird, Hutton's Vireo, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Marsh Wren, Bewick's Wren, American Robin, House Finch, Purple Finch, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Western Meadowlark, and Red-winged Blackbird!
Misses today included Ring-necked Duck; and Short-billed, Ring-billed, and Glaucous-winged Gulls (though we did have two larus sp., one of which had black wingtips).
For the day, 53 species (counting gull sp.). For the year, adding the SWAMP SPARROW, we're at 72 species.
= Michael Hobbs |
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Bald Eagle pair. Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Swamp Sparrow Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Report for February 5, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
That fog that was reported on early this morning? It was actually all at Marymoor Park. I had no fog anywhere from West Seattle through Bellevue and Overlake; it wasn't until dropping down into the Sammamish Valley that there was any. I couldn't see 20 yards. Luckily, by about 9:00 it had pretty much entirely burned off. The day was pretty birdy and nice, with temps in the 40s for the most part, no precipitation, and no wind.
Highlights:
- Great Blue Heron - At least 50, with at least 45 standing in the heronry
- Pileated Woodpecker - One near the concert venue. First of Year (FOY)
- Hutton's Vireo - One singing near the Box Office of the concert venue (FOY). Only our 6th February sighting ever
- Northern Shrike - One north of Fields 7,8,9
- American Robin - Lot of singing
- Cedar Waxwing - About 25 in the same two hawthorn trees that they were in last week, Dog Meadow edge, just east of the heronry
- Yellow-rumped Warbler - A couple just before the boardwalk (FOY)
It was also a good day for animals, with Eastern Gray Squirrel, American Beaver, Muskrat (FOY), Eastern Cottontail, River Otter, and Pacific Tree Frog (heard pre-dawn). The beaver sighting was cool; we first saw it swimming painfully slowly upstream, just below the weir. It then climbed out on the weir and waded ponderously across. They may be great at felling trees, but they are not graceful.
Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, and Short-billed and Ring-billed Gull (though we did have one black wing-tipped gull that was almost certainly one of those). We had a clean sweep of all of the expected passerines.
For the day, 57 species. For the year, adding three, we're up to 71 species, I believe.
= Michael Hobbs |
Report for January 29, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
The day was much more pleasant than the forecasts predicted. It was pretty warm (mostly low-50's), not too dark an overcast, no wind, and only a few sprinkles now and then. And it was pretty birdy, especially in the first 2 hours.
Highlights:
- American Coot - At least 4, which is 2-3 more than we've had at any time in 2025 and 2026
- Wilson's Snipe - A half-dozen below the weir
- Horned Grebe - One well out on the lake
- Northern Shrike - South end of the East Meadow again
- Bushtit - I returned to the park briefly after the walk and found ~20. First of Year (FOY)
- Cedar Waxwing - A half-dozen or more eating hawthorn berries along the west edge of the Dog Meadow near the heronry (FOY)
- White-throated Sparrow - FOUR TOGETHER under the old weeping willow at the Rowing Club. High Count for us at the park!
- Song Sparrow - Eric saw the "Eastern" one along the west edge of the East Meadow
- Western Meadowlark - Fourteen on the grass soccer fields again
Misses today included Cackling Goose, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Cooper's Hawk, and Hairy Woodpecker.
For the day, 55 species. For the year, I believe we're up to 68 species.
= Michael Hobbs |
Report for January 22, 2026 Birding at Marymoor
Last Thursday I had to rush to the airport before the survey even completed; Mason added three species after I left. I didn't get a chance to send this email until now.
The day started COLD, at 27 degrees. The fog cleared quickly, however, and even though we didn't get much of any actual sunshine, the morning warmed quickly. There was also little wind, so the cold wasn't too bad. It was birdy at times, quiet at others.
Highlights:
- Greater White-fronted Goose - Five below the weir
- Trumpeter Swan - Two flew south
- Wood Duck - Two in the slough near the lake, First of Year (FOY)
- Thirteen species of waterfowl in total
- Horned Grebe - Mason spotted one on the lake. Week 4 is historically the most likely week for them to show up
- Purple Finch - Some good looks at the southernmost Dog Swim Beach area
- Western Meadowlark - About 10 at the north end of the grass fields, just south of the gravel lot
- river otter - At least two in the slough
Misses Thursday included Cackling Goose, American Coot, Short-billed and Ring-billed Gulls, and Cooper's Hawk.
For the day, 55 species. For the year, we're at 66 species.
Our Thursday start time is shifting to 7:30 a.m.
= Michael Hobbs |
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