Having missed Stupendous Thursday on the 16th, I decided to head down to Marymoor this morning while the weather was still glorious.
Unfortunately, I did NOT get one of those magically birdy mornings where the species count climbs really high. I didn't get 74 species like they got on Thursday - only 56.
Also, I missed almost all of the unusual species they found on Thursday. SO I HAD TO FIND MY OWN ONES!
I had EIGHT species they didn't have Thursday:
Ring-necked Pheasant Male at Compost Piles
Cliff Swallow Several at the lake - FOS
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 on new trail - First of 2009
Hermit Thrush 2 near 3rd dog swim beach
NASHVILLE WARBLER 1 near 3rd dog swim beach
CHIPPING SPARROW 1 east of mansion in firs
Lincoln's Sparrow 1-2 at the N end of the East Meadow
RED CROSSBILL Flock of 9 briefly in Dog Meadow
This is the earliest we've ever had Nashville at Marymoor.
Other things to mention - Tons of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and several ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS. Had a HAIRY WOODPECKER excavating a nest hole, and both DARK-EYED JUNCO and PINE SISKIN with nest materials.
So, 56 for the day, 82 for the week !!!, and with several new birds for 2009 this week, we're now at 116 for the year.
== Michael
BTW - sorry about how crappy today's photos are.
The birds were not cooperative with the camera...
Note the bright yellow throat on the Nashville Warbler
A slightly better view of the Nashville Warbler
This is as good a look as I got at the Red Crossbills before they flew off
Zooming in...
Blurry, but it shows the red color of a male Red Crossbill, and a bit of the crossed bill
Beautiful male Ring-necked Pheasant at the Compost Piles
Out-of-focus shot of the Chipping Sparrow east of the mansion
Slightly better focus, but the Chipping Sparrow was looking away :(\
