[Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2023-04-13

[birdmarymoor]

Tweets - Temperatures remain well below normal, but even so we had a spring-like day today.  Finally.  We had some sunshine to start, though it clouded up and got breezy by mid-walk.  But the birds were singing, and we saw lots of nesting behaviors.  We had five First of Year (FOY) birds, and a few surprises.

Highlights:
    Cackling Goose - Small flock at 6:30; first in three weeks and quite possibly our last until fall
    Northern Pintail - Flyover of a pair.  Only our 2nd sighting since February
    Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Notably many, notably widespread.  Outnumbered Black-caps!
    Barn Swallow - At least one (FOY)
    Cliff Swallow - At least one (FOY)
    American Pipit - Small flock at model airplane field; we saw them from the Viewing Mound, then Brian drove over and verified (FOY)
    White-crowned Sparrow - Pugetensis and Gambelii subspecies singing at the Pea Patch
    Lincoln's Sparrow - Again, one in the Pea Patch visible for a few of us
    Western Meadowlark - Two in the East Meadow
    Brewer's Blackbird - Two at south end of East Meadow (FOY)
    Common Yellowthroat - At least a dozen singing, two or three glimpsed (FOY)
    Townsend's Warbler - At least two near the Concert Venue ticket booth / south picnic shelter

CANADA GEESE remain nesting on both Osprey platforms, despite the presence of at least three OSPREY.  The Ospreys appear to be trying to start a new nest on a different light pole in the NE ballfields, having (we heard from another birder) tried and failed to dislodge the geese earlier in the week.

GREAT BLUE HERONS continue to sit on, and enhance, their nests.  A BALD EAGLE was in the nest south of the model airplane field.  A CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE brought nest materials into a box in the Pea Patch.   TREE SWALLOWS were laying claim to other boxes.  We found two BUSHTIT nests, one being built, the other looking finished.  We saw a BROWN CREEPER disappear into a nest in peeled bark on a snag.  At least 20 species were heard singing today, along with DOWNY and FLICKER drumming, and ANNA'S and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS displaying.

Misses today included Rock Pigeon, Pine Siskin, and Orange-crowned Warbler.  The latter are distinctly late this year, but by my recollection, they don't show up until the leaves come out, and the trees are still leafless.

For the day, 67 species, including Lonesome George.

= Michael Hobbs