[Tweeters] Marymoor Park Report (Redmond, King Co., WA) 2007-06-21

[Michael Hobbs]

Tweets - I think there were about 17 people today, although there was too 
much coming and going for me to keep everyone straight.  Weather on this 
Summer Solstice day was unique among all of my trips to Marymoor.  Skies 
were mostly overcast, with occasional sun breaks.  What was odd were the 
numerous drizzle-squalls.  Every once in a while the wind would suddenly 
pick up and we be hit by a wall of drizzle (maybe even just mist).  Hardly 
enough to even get you wet, but blowing horizontally.  After a couple of 
minutes, the precipitation and the wind would die down. Most bizarre.

This late June period is characterized by the presence of our breeding 
birds, with just a hint of post-breeding dispersal beginning.  Today we had 
our first WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW after six weeks without.  The Pea Patch 
featured a couple of sightings of an immature bird, still retaining juvenal 
plumage.  For whatever reason, WCSP seem to prefer to breed in the parking 
lots at Microsoft (and other similar places) over the verdant green of 
Marymoor; we usually have only distant heard-only WCSP during the peak of 
breeding season.  The rest of the year, though, they like Marymoor just 
fine. Today marked the first sign of their return.

 We also had two CASPIAN TERNS, perhaps failed breeders already ranging. 
This is by far the most common week of the year for Caspian Tern sightings 
at Marymoor (our 6th sighting for week 25, over the last 13 years).  No 
other week of the year has more than three sightings.  Most of our CATE 
sightings have been from late May through early July, with one April and one 
August sighting.

Other highlights:

Bald Eagle                            13 birds; perhaps 5 adults among them, 
over/near the lake
Red-breasted Sapsucker      Adult and immature near start of boardwalk
Rufous Hummingbird            Major hummingbird battles in the Pea Patch, 
with the larger
Anna's Hummingbird              ANHU being harassed by RUHU.  Both immature?
Warbling Vireo                    5-10 heard, with only 1 deigning to be 
visible
Red-eyed Vireo                   2 singing in Cottonwood Forest again, 
invisibly
Lazuli Bunting                       Male singing in Snag Row near the 
Compost Piles
Dark-eyed Junco                 Fresh juveniles in Pea Patch in their 
stripey glory

For the day, 56 species, including some California Quail reported by Brendan 
and Jonathan Higgins as they left the east end of the park.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net