Date: 5/21/26 5:38 pm From: Michael Hobbs via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2026-05-21
Tweets - We finally had really nice weather for our survey today. It was also fairly birdy, though...though...though... For some reason, many of the birds remained stubbornly invisible. I heard probably close to a dozen Black-headed Grosbeaks singing today, and I didn't manage to see a single one. That was not the only species with cloaking on.
Highlights: Blue-winged Teal - Two males made a quick flyby heading north down the slough, and moments later, swiftly passed back. First of Year (FOY) Ring-necked Duck - Lone male seen from Lake Platform - Our first since mid-March! Also, the 2nd-latest spring sighting ever Virginia Rail - Kathy spotted two out in the open (and remaining so for minutes), below the weir. Our first *sighting* of rail this year, I believe Green Heron - One pre-dawn in the stormwater pond near the velodrome parking lot Turkey Vulture - One seen from the Rowing Club (FOY) Cooper's Hawk - Juvenile being harassed by crows near the Compost Piles Five Woodpecker Day - With Red-breasted Sapsucker the most numerous Willow Flycatcher - Still just one, SE corner of the East Meadow Swainson's Thrush - Several singing during the day. Most of us didn't see any though MacGillivray's Warbler - One singing for quite a while near Dog Central (FOY). Partially glimpsed by only 1 or 2 of us, otherwise unseen
Birds that were (at least nearly) heard only included Western Wood-Pewee, Western Warbling Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Purple Finch, MacGillivray's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, and Lazuli Bunting. Yikes!
Misses included Rock Pigeon, Spotted Sandpiper, Cliff Swallow, and Bullock's Oriole.
For the day, a year's best 66 species. Adding Blue-winged Teal, Turkey Vulture, and MacGillivray's Warbler, the survey is at 110 species for 2026.
