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Friends of Marymoor Park
Recent Bird Sightings
Report for August 21, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
It felt downright cold (at 51 degrees) this morning at 5:30 a.m. but I didn't care since I was viewing Jupiter, Venus, a sliver of a moon, and MERCURY! Life planet! Thanks to Mason on the heads up on that one.
By our start time of 6:30, the sun was up and it was a delightful crystal clear day with perfect temperature, perfect light, no breeze and (after a bit) many birds. I am declaring The Doldrums officially over.
We also had a trio of young birding brothers with us today who were engaged and engaging, and were excellent at spotting birds.
Highlights:
- Green Heron - Many sightings, often of two birds at a time. Pretty sure we had three or possibly more
- Belted Kingfisher - At least 3 different birds
- Red-breasted Sapsucker - One well west of the slough, south of the Dog Area. First of Fall (FOF)
- Pileated Woodpecker - Pair near Dog Central
- Willow Flycatcher - Many sightings, despite most of them being silent
- Warbling Vireo - At least two
- Common Raven - One flew over the boardwalk. First of Year (FOY) for the survey
- Black-capped Chickadee - Notably many
- Swainson's Thrush - Many whitting predawn, at least two seen during the walk
- Purple Finch - Dozens! Some singing scraps of song interspersed in the constant popping calls
- Red-winged Blackbird - At least one flyby male, and maybe a flock behind him (FOF)
- Black-throated Gray Warbler - Many (5+) seen in willows (FOF)
- Western Tanager - At least one adult male and 1-2 females/juveniles. Maybe more heard (FOF)
- Black-headed Grosbeak - Maybe 3, none being adult males
Misses today included Vaux's Swift, Killdeer, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Wilson's Warbler
For the day, 53 species. Adding Common Raven, we're up to 124 species for the survey in 2025.
= Michael Hobbs |
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Jupiter a little left of the fir, Venus above the rightmost lamp post...
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...and Mercury between the crescent moon and the tree
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Female Pileated Woodpecker
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Swainson's Thrush
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Report for August 14, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
Another rather dark and quiet August survey today. There were very few birds singing, and even calls were sparse. A big fall movement of birds should be starting any day now, but they hadn't arrived this morning...
Highlights:
- Ring-billed Gull - One juvenile on the grass soccer fields. First of Fall (FOF)
- Green Heron - At least three different birds, several sightings
- American Barn Owl - At least one, and probably two, around 5:30 a.m. One sighting of a bird way off at the model airplane field, an then a few minutes later, one flying over the East Meadow from the west
- Warbling Vireo - One along the edge of the Dog Meadow
- Violet-green Swallow - At least three, near the Viewing Mound. Our first since early July
- Purple Martin - Around 15 to the west of the slough south of the Dog Area. They were perched until an accipiter came to call
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were our only warblers!
Our biggest surprise today was a DOUGLAS SQUIRREL on the boardwalk railing. This is just the 7th time we've ever seen a Dougie at the park, and the first time we've had one in August.
Misses today included Band-tailed Pigeon, Vaux's Swift (Mason had one Swift sp., but favored Black), Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper,
Golden-crowned Kinglet (may have heard), Yellow, Black-throated Gray, and Wilson's Warblers, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
For the day, 50 species, counting the Swift sp. and the accipiter (probably a Coop).
= Michael Hobbs |
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Douglas Squirrel on the boardwalk railing. Photo by Jordan Roderick
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Report for August 7, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
It was cool, dark, misting, and q-u-i-e-t this morning at Marymoor. Lots of juvenile birds making strange sounds while doing strange things and looking rather strange. Those tended to lead to more confusion than excitement amongst us birders, though.
Highlights:
- Caspian Tern - One spotted far out towards the lake by Mason. Only the 2nd sighting for the survey this year
- Green Heron - Two adults and a juvenile at the Rowing Club pond
- Cooper's Hawk - A couple of sightings of juvenile(s). First of Fall (FOF)
- Bald Eagle - Five adults simultaneously, at the lake
- AMERICAN BARN OWL - Matt had one pre-dawn in the East Meadow, the First of Year (FOY) for the survey
- Yellow-rumped Warblers - A small swarm along Snag Row, seemingly all juveniles, though glimpses and much calling were all that we got (FOF)
- Wilson's Warbler - One with the Yellow-rumped Warblers
Our other highlights were 5 DEER - two males across the slough below the weir, then a female and two fawns near the park maintenance buildings. Also, we had a RIVER OTTER seen from the Lake Platform, our first since February.
Misses today included Vaux's Swift, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Belted Kingfisher, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Violet-green Swallow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Marsh Wren, Purple Finch, Savannah Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
For the day, 46 species. For the year, adding American Barn Owl, we're at 123 species.
= Michael Hobbs |
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Green Heron at the Rowing Club. Photo by Michael Hobbs
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Report for July 31, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
Another clear and sunny summer day at Marymoor park today — Michael was out of town but the rest of us covered the park to see what was around. Not surprisingly, birding was a bit slow - the doldrums are in full swing.
Highlights:
- Green Heron - always nice to have them back and pretty regular again at the park
- Spotted Sandpiper - one along the slough below the weir
- Wilson’s Warbler - one popped up in the dog area for a nice surprise. First of Fall (FOF)
The Great Blue Heron rookery is all emptied out, with only a few GB Heron seen along the slough today.
Both Osprey nests appear to have two hungry young in them.
Only 1 Warbling Vireo found, over at the Rowing Club, and we dipped on Yellow Warbler and Black-headed Grosbeak for the first time of the fall.
Misses today included: Band-tailed Pigeon, Vaux’s Swift, Killdeer, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Marsh Wren, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow Warbler, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
For the day, 45 species.
Good birding, Matt Bartels |
Report for July 24, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
It was a fine morning, warm but not too hot, only a bit of occasional breeze. It was fairly quiet, though; not as active as last week.
Highlights:
- Eurasian Collared-Dove - One at NE corner of off-leash area
- Glaucous-winged Dove - One, First of Fall (FOF), our first identifiable gull since May
- Pileated Woodpecker - One heard several times, just after 6:00 a.m.
- Merlin - One, mobbed by swallows. Third straight week, and 5th of last 7 weeks
- Orange-crowned Warbler - One along SW edge of Dog Meadow
- Black-throated Gray Warbler - At least 3, probably 5 or more, SW edge of Dog Meadow
- Western Tanager - One or two, probably juvenile females, west edge of Dog Meadow
At least 2 juvenile OSPREY on the western nest platform. At least 2 juvenile PURPLE MARTINS in the right-most gourd.
I saw at least 9 EASTERN COTTONTAIL and a COYOTE.
Misses today included American Barn Owl, Warbling Vireo, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Marsh Wren, Red-winged
Blackbird, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
For the day, 56 species.
= Michael Hobbs |
Report for July 17, 2025 Birding at Marymoor
We had a very fine morning, with temperatures never getting too warm despite the full sun and the Excessive Heat Warnings. And while singing has become almost non-existent (except for Swainson's Thrushes), there were plenty of birds around. We are seeing strong evidence of post-breeding dispersal, with many birds today that we haven't had in weeks or months.
Highlights:
- Hooded Merganser - Two at the Rowing Club. First of Fall (FOF) and first since April!
- Virginia Rail - One responded from across the slough. First since June 5th (FOF)
- Greater Yellowlegs - Two at the weir (FOF)
- Ring-billed (?) Gulls - Four flying very high and heading north
- Pied-billed Grebe - Seen from Lake Platform. First since the 1st week in May (FOF)
- Green Heron - Two at weir. At one point, a Green Heron chased off a Greater Yellowlegs
- Great Blue Heron - Only 1 bird at nests (though several dead birds were noted). Only about 5-6 GBHE noted anywhere in the park this morning
- Osprey - Appear to have young at both nests
- Red-tailed Hawk - Juvenile flying around calling piteously for most of the morning. What-the-heck happened to free room service???
- Merlin - One seen twice, or two
- Tree Swallow - One of the Martin gourds featured at least 3 baby Tree Swallow gaping mouths
- Purple Martin - Both of the close gourds had martins, with nest exchanges noted
- CHIPPING SPARROW - Juvenile along SW edge of the Dog Meadow
- Orange-crowned Warbler - 1-2 along SW edge of Dog Meadow (FOF)
- Yellow Warbler - 2-3 along SW edge of Dog Meadow (all female/juvie), with a singing male at the Rowing Club
- Black-throated Warbler - At least one along SW edge of Dog Meadow (FOF)
- Western Tanager - Two makes at Rowing Club
Misses today, comprised just Rufous Hummingbird, Violet-green Swallow, and Cliff Swallow.
For the day, counting the high-flying gulls, 61 species. A good day.
= Michael Hobbs |
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