Marymoor Blog

Sat, 21 Mar 2009

20090319

Report for March 19, 2009

A drizzly day, but pretty nice despite that. It only really rained for a few minutes as we were going around the mansion. Not too cold, not too windy, but not feeling totally spring-like either. Yesterday was "springier".   Something like 17 people, so a big group today.

Highlights:

Green Heron                    Brian had one south of the East Meadow early
Western Screech-Owl      Matt and Scott had one pre-dawn
Downy Woodpecker       Two males sparring
Hairy Woodpecker          One along the slough
SAY'S PHOEBE             One at the N end of the East Meadow, flew east
Northern Shrike               North of fields 7-8-9
Violet-green Swallow       Brian had them Tuesday, more today
Varied Thrush                  Heard near mansion, seen near RC dock and forest
Yellow-rumped Warbler  At least 1 alternate-plumage male Audubon's
Purple Finch                     Many singing

More than 1/3 of all of the SAY'S PHOEBE sightings for Marymoor Park have occurred in Week 12 (the week that started today), so it was not too terribly surprising to find one in the East Meadow, where most sightings have occurred. It gave us distant looks before flying over towards the model airplane field.

Still a lot of "winter" birds around - 4 species of gull, 8 species of duck, lots of FOX SPARROWS, quite a few GOLDEN-CROWEND SPARROWS, etc. Spring birds still scarce - couldn't even find a Tree Swallow today, though I'd bet there were a few there somewhere.

For the day, 59 species. For the year, 89 species (assuming I can count...)

== Michael

Two male Downy Woodpeckers were doing a lot of posing

Ollie Oliver caught them in a different tree a minute later, still at it.

The Say's Phoebe in the East Meadow only stayed around for a minute...

...before flying east towards the model airplane field

Ollie Oliver's photo of an adult Mew Gull

Ollie's photo of Mew Gulls in flight. Note the large size of the white "windows" on the wing-tips, most visible on the bottom bird. This is characteristic of Mews.

Ollie's photo of a Red-tailed Hawk in a London Plain tree along the road

Ollie's photo of the Northern Shrike north of fields 7-8-9

Ollie's photo of Gadwall on the grass fields. Note that female Gadwall have white bellies, unlike Mallards.

Male Hooded Merganser at the Rowing Club pond, getting his first breeding plumage.
This guy was born last year, and has been in plumage similar to a female until now.

Ollie went back in the early evening as the American Crows were heading to roost

The American Crows landed temporarily in the birch at the edge of the East Meadow

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A drizzly day, but pretty nice despite that. It only really rained for a few minutes as we were going around the mansion. Not too cold, not too windy, but not feeling totally spring-like either. Yesterday was "springier". Something like 17 people, so a big group today. Highlights: Green Heron Brian had one south of the East Meadow early Western Screech-Owl Matt and Scott had one pre-dawn Downy Woodpecker Two males sparring Hairy Woodpecker One along the slough SAY'S PHOEBE One at the N end of the East Meadow, flew east Northern Shrike North of fields 7-8-9 Violet-green Swallow Brian had them Tuesday, more today Varied Thrush Heard near mansion, seen near RC dock and forest Yellow-rumped Warbler At least 1 alternate-plumage male Audubon's Purple Finch Many singing More than 1/3 of all of the SAY'S PHOEBE sightings for Marymoor Park have occurred in Week 12 (the week that started today), so it was not too terribly surprising to find one in the East Meadow, where most sightings have occurred. It gave us distant looks before flying over towards the model airplane field. Still a lot of "winter" birds around - 4 species of gull, 8 species of duck, lots of FOX SPARROWS, quite a few GOLDEN-CROWEND SPARROWS, etc. Spring birds still scarce - couldn't even find a Tree Swallow today, though I'd bet there were a few there somewhere. For the day, 59 species. For the year, 89 species (assuming I can count...) == Michael	Two male Downy Woodpeckers were doing a lot of posing Ollie Oliver caught them in a different tree a minute later, still at it.
The Say's Phoebe in the East Meadow only stayed around for a minute...	...before flying east towards the model airplane field
Ollie Oliver's photo of an adult Mew Gull	Ollie's photo of Mew Gulls in flight. Note the large size of the white "windows" on the wing-tips, most visible on the bottom bird. This is characteristic of Mews.
Ollie's photo of a Red-tailed Hawk in a London Plain tree along the road	Ollie's photo of the Northern Shrike north of fields 7-8-9
Ollie's photo of Gadwall on the grass fields. Note that female Gadwall have white bellies, unlike Mallards.	Male Hooded Merganser at the Rowing Club pond, getting his first breeding plumage. This guy was born last year, and has been in plumage similar to a female until now.
Ollie went back in the early evening as the American Crows were heading to roost	The American Crows landed temporarily in the birch at the edge of the East Meadow