It went from chilly (46 degrees) to hot (okay - only in the 70's). Not a cloud in the sky, and no breeze. A really nice summer day. 10 of us strolled around slowly, trying to locate the birds - a difficult task, as most weren't just out there on display like they are earlier in the breeding season. It seemed pretty quiet overall, though we managed to have some good sightings.
Highlights:
The RING-NECKED PHEASANT was heard near the Community Gardens, maybe hidden in Snag Row.
The OSPREY have at least one young on the nest.
One CASPIAN TERN was seen flying very high down the river.
The concert venue closures meant we couldn't get a good look into the BARN OWL nest box, but we were barely able to see there was at least 1 owl inside the box.
A HAIRY WOODPECKER female was excavating a nest hole in a snag near the start of the boardwalk. We also saw adult and juvenile DOWNY WOODPECKERS.
Lots of WILLOW FLYCATCHERS and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, with one of the latter possibly building a nest
Many baby birds were about; we got to watch a BUSHTIT bang a caterpillar against a branch to kill it, and then feed it to a baby.
We had a great deal of fun seeing a male YELLOW WARBLER feeding both a baby Yellow and a baby BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, and then later a female feeding two young. My guess is this was two separate families. The second group was also along the west edge of the Dog Meadow, and we spent about a half hour watching them.
We had a juvenile YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER along the west edge of the Dog Meadow - all streaky with no yellow at all.
The male LAZULI BUNTING was again singing near the Compost Piles.
We had great looks at a male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at
the south end of the Dog
Meadow, and a female a bit further north, as well as great looks at
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK.
For the day, 56 species.
== Michael
Juvenile American Robin eating a cherry
Hot air balloon off to the north
Juvenile Yellow Warbler
Juvenile Yellow Warbler in a dogwood
...and in a willow. Note the gray down showing through the feathers
And, yes, they could fly
Looking up at a female Bullock's Oriole
Male Bullock's Oriole. Are they breeding at Marymoor?
Cedar Waxwing acrobatically eating Red Elderberries
Black-capped Chickadee
Female Hairy Woodpecker...
...excavating a nest hole near the start of the boardwalk