[Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-02-29

[Michael Hobbs]

Tweets - Today was just our 2nd Leap Day Marymoor Survey.  The last one was
28 years ago, when the survey was still a baby, and I did that one solo
(Brian Bell had only just started coming out with me, and was on an
every-other-week schedule then).  I had a mere 35 species.  My notes
indicate it was frosty, but sunny and without much wind.

Well, it wasn't actually frosty this morning, nor was it sunny, nor
windless.  Assurances that the overnight wind would end before morning
were, shall I say, over blown.  It was dark, wet, windy, and rather chilly,
but I will say that the birding got better later in the morning.

Highlights:
     Greater White-fronted Goose - Probably the same two as last week, with
Canadas, Fields 7-8-9
     HERRING GULL - Almost certainly the same bird as last week, grass
soccer fields
     Bald Eagle - Lots of activity, including two taking turns eating what
looked like a coot on the far shore below the weir
     Barn Owl - One at the model airplane field being harassed by a couple
of crows at about 6:35 a.m.
     American Robin - Notably abundant and widespread
     White-throated Sparrow - Same bird in the same place as other recent
sightings

Last week, misses were limited to just Hooded Merganser and Killdeer.  We
saw a couple of Killdeer today, but again no Hoodies.  Other misses today
were Cooper's Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern
Shrike, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Western Meadowlark.

Tree Swallows are likely to show up next week or the week after!

For the day, 54 species.  Nothing new for the year, but the park's Leap Day
list is now at 57 species.  :)

= Michael Hobbs
= BirdMarymoor at gmail.com
= www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
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