Date: 3/27/25 2:24 pm From: Michael Hobbs via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2025-03-27
Tweets - Despite the fierce weather last night, today's weather was quite good. We did have a little fog for the first hour of the survey, and about 3 minutes of mizzle (of course, that exactly coincided with our time at the Lake Platform), but the rest of the morning was cloudy at worst, and sometimes it was sunny. Pretty birdy too.
I believe today's walk is the 31st Anniversary for the survey.
Highlights: Cackling Goose - About 20 flying south in a perfect V at 6:45 a.m. First in 3 weeks Canada Goose - Seem to be planning to nest on one or more of the Osprey nests Band-tailed Pigeon - One seen twice, or two. First of Year (FOY) Rufous Hummingbird - Quite a few males - maybe 6 total - scattered around the park Five Woodpecker Day - All of the expected ones Hutton's Vireo - One heard faintly southwest of the mansion Northern Shrike - One across the slough. Should be heading north very soon Savannah Sparrow - Maybe five or so, including one singing, north end of the East Meadow (FOY) Lincoln's Sparrow - One with the Savannahs made for an 8 sparrow day
At the heronry, several nests have been started in the next cottonwood south of the existing heronry. About 1/3 of the existing nests were lost in the bomb cyclone this winter when three trunks came down, so I was expecting this southern expansion. Also, a few heron egg shells are on the ground under the nests. Not positive if these indicate hatching already, but they do confirm egg laying has already begun.
Nesting of other species is underway. Brown Creeper and American Crow were both seen carrying nest materials.
As I left the park, I saw three WESTERN MEADOWLARKS at the model airplane field.
Just as we had last week, we again saw a MINK swimming and climbing around the large beaver lodge complex across the slough from Dog Central. Again, we saw the mink squirm into the pile of sticks. Definitely could indicate a den there.
Misses today included American Coot, Wilson's Snipe, Cooper's Hawk, Violet-green Swallow, and American Goldfinch (may have heard one).
For the day, 61 species. Adding BTPI and SAVS, we're at 83 species for the survey for 2025.
= Michael Hobbs = <BirdMarymoor...> = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
