<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">This year's Imbolc edition of the Marymoor Survey was pretty good. A touch of mizzle now and then, and a little too overcast, but it was warm and calm and fairly birdy. With the cross quarter day (half-way between the solstice and the equinox), there was suddenly a lot more singing, herons at the nests, big buds on the Indian Plum, and many calling Pacific Tree Frogs pre-dawn.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Highlights:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Wood Duck - One beautiful male in the slough near the start of the boardwalk</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Ruddy Duck - A pair, I believe, on the lake FAR OUT. The male was barely recognizable; the probable female was sticking with him<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Anna's Hummingbirds - Several singing males, and the first displaying male of spring<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Cooper's Hawk - One across the slough below the weir. First of Year (FOY)<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Merlin - One atop a fir NE of the mansion<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> CEDAR WAXWING - Flock of about 30 in a berry-filled European Hawthorn in the northern part of the Dog Meadow. (FOY)<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> Pine Siskin - A couple of good-sized flocks<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> White-throated Sparrow - One with Golden-crowns near the 2nd Dog Swim Beach bench<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Singing birds included Black-capped Chickadee, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren (many), American Robin, Song Sparrow, and Red-winged Blackbird.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Misses today included Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Short-billed Gull, Hairy Woodpecker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and White-crowned Sparrow.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">For the day, 52 species. We are now at 66 species for the year.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">= Michael Hobbs</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">= BirdMarymoor@gmail.com</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> <br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> <br></div></div></body></html>