Before and after a touch of dawn fog, we had an
absolutely gorgeous day at Marymoor today. It was chilly but windless,
and when the sun shone, it was very pleasant. Not too terribly birdy,
but there were some good, if brief, sightings.
Upon arriving home this evening, I was greeted by an email from Tom
Sanders, with links to photos. At about 1:00 p.m., he had a stunning
male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD in the East Meadow. We've never had a fall
bluebird sighting before, and I cannot find any reference to a November
western Washington Mountain Bluebird sighting ever. Does anyone have
one? (I found records from every other month, but with very few October
sightings and no November).
There was one other sighting that I'll mention here.
I'm almost positive of ID, but because the sighting was brief and of
birds in flight only, I'm refraining from adding this species to the
Marymoor list right now. As some of us were walking the north edge of
the East Meadow, I heard waxwing-like calls from a flock of fast-flying
birds - only the call was a kind of churring call. I called out
"waxwing", but my sense was that they seemed large and grayer. I also
noted some white spots on the upper wing in flight. It penetrated my
consciousness that these might (or some of these might) be BOHEMIAN
WAXWINGS. I tried, as they flew away, to get a confirming look at
undertail coverts. They *seemed* dark, but the birds were past so
quickly, I cannot be 100% positive. They were heading west, and we were
unable to locate any waxwings subsequently. I'm so, so, so close to
being sure that's what they were. But...
Other highlights:
Cackling Goose Flocks totaling at least 500
Northern Pintail A small flock flew down slough
Northern Harrier Adult male, flying very high, heading south
Cooper's Hawk Gorgeous adult at Compost Piles
Pileated Woodpecker Two sightings on far side of slough
Winter Wren Like last week, singing east of weir
Purple Finch Again in tiny Ash at 2nd dog beach
Evening Grosbeak One flew circles around Compost Piles calling
For the day, 53 species.
== Michael
Tom Sanders found this male Mountain Bluebird in the East Meadow around 1pm
The Cascades were sparkling in fresh snow
Ollie Oliver's shot of the Pileated Woodpecker
Bewick's Wren
Most of today's group. Photo by Lillian Reis
Hugh Jennings keeps his feet dry on the new boardwalk extension (6" of water below)
Adult Cooper's Hawk at the Compost Piles
Ollie's photo of the Cooper's Hawk stretching
Northern Flicker on the windmill blade
Some of about 50 American Coots in the slough near the Rowing Club dock
Ollie's photo of a Great Blue Heron at the Rowing Club, 2009-11-10
Ollie's photo of a Wood Ducks at the Rowing Club, 2009-11-10