Last 3 May Visits

Duration of Visit: Roughly 4 hours each of the three visits
Weather: The last three days were relatively nice, with one of the days consisting of scattered showers while the other two were relatively clear and in the 60s and low 70s.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Notes from the day:

While I've been making it to Union Bay weekly, I have been over my head with work this month and have had some difficulties finding time to blog. For this entry only, I've decided to combine my last few trips into this one blog entry.

With many of the common species that were here over the winter (wigeons, buffleheads, shovelers etc.) now gone, or temporarily not present in the area, species counts have been on the low side as of recent. There have however, been many new additions such as the pipits, teals (cinnamon and blue-winged), orange-crowned warblers, yellowthroats, cowbirds and warbling vireos (just to name a few), but the species diversity just isn't as pronounced as it was just a few weeks ago.

I believe that has a lot to do with many of the species here that are nesting and rearing young. The mallard ducklings were the first young spotted here at the Fill and they're really starting to get pretty big. Here is a recent picture of one of the mallard broods pruning themselves with their mother close by.

Just this past Friday, I got my first glimpse of the wood duck ducklings swimming with their mother in the lagoon. Wood duck ducklings are born precocial, meaning they're relatively self sufficient shortly after birth. They hatch in their nest which is usually high up in a tree cavity, and jump to the ground (sometimes 60 feet) when they hear their mother calling to them from a pond or a lake nearby. I've always wanted to witness this happen but I'd imagine that you'd have to be incredibly lucky to experience such an event. Here is a pic of the new family. Notice the ducklings feeding atop the lillies.

The pied-billed grebe female can still be seen on a regular basis out on Southwest Pond, but her brood has become significantly smaller – more than likely they've been predated. Only one remains and it's getting pretty close to the same size as it's mother. You can tell it apart due to the white streaks on it's face, whereas the adult doesn't have any streaks. I wasn't able to get a picture due to the pond being high and the edges overgrown, but maybe I can snap a pic next week if they're swimming a little closer in?

Speaking of predation, I was able to witness a pretty extraordinary event at Wedding Rocks at the very beginning of my day this past Friday. As I approached from the main trail, I heard multiple robin alarms accompanied by a chickadee or two about six feet off of the ground. I snuck into a bush where the robins were alarming to find a Cooper's hawk dining on one of the robin babies. It took flight with the bird in grasp once it saw me and flew into a nearby canopy to finish it's meal in a little more privacy. Alarms are a great way to locate predators - avian, mammalian and reptilian – especially during the nesting season. Since everything is growing so thickly here at Union Bay, it's hard to locate on sight alone, and since the nest provide easy meals for a multitude of species, any kind of loud, rhythmic vocalization coming from any kind of bird is worth an investigation. You'll more than likely find something worthwhile.

The eagles haven't been patrolling the area riding the thermals like they usually do. It makes sense since many of the waterfowl which swam on the lake in dense clusters are now gone. I did however witness a couple of adult eagles hunting over the lake on Friday but I'm not sure what they were targeting. I assume they have been hunting elsewhere the past few weeks – even though their nest is just right across the street.

The Canada geese are beginning to flock together once again. It's amazing how mean they can be to one another while they're nesting and how just a month later, they're best friends again congregating in very large groups. Here is a pic of a flock just past the Turtle Logs. They could be seen just about everywhere this past Friday.

Three band-tailed pigeons took perches right above my head in Yesler Swamp a couple of weeks back. I'm always amazed every time that I see this species how large of a bird they actually are. All of the shrubs and trees are flowering in the swamp, providing an ideal habitat for them. I'm looking forward to observing them in more detail now that they've returned to the area.

Another species which has also arrived along with the berries are the cedar waxwings. I've been seeing them at almost every birding location that I've been at over the past couple of weeks. They're almost always found in groups of varying sizes. Here was one particular that I found near the main trail by the Dime Lot. By far, they are one of the prettiest birds in the region.

The male brewer's blackbird near the helipad was doing a courtship display while perched atop the chain link fence for a female feeding on the ground. She was pretending not to notice, focusing primarily on her feeding, but I'm guessing it was just an act. She was paying full attention for a couple of minutes before she flew off. He continued his display long after she had left, maybe hoping she was watching from afar? Or maybe he was just showing off to me? Regardless, the brewer's blackbird is one of my favorite birds to observe here at Union Bay.

I've heard a Lazuli bunting has been seen as of late and I spotted the blue-winged teal swimming in the slough along canal road just this past Friday. Head on over to the Bay and take a look for yourself. See you next week!

May 1, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:30am-3:00pm
Weather: Nicest day I've had here all year. Mid to high 70s, little to no wind and sunny the entire day.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 42: bewick's wren, robin, black-capped chickadee, barn swallow, Virginia rail, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, double-crested cormorant, bushtit, dark-eyed junco, mallard, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, American coot, American crow, northern shoveler, bufflehead, pied-billed grebe, yellow-rumped warbler, marsh wren, northern flicker, song sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, European starling, red-winged blackbird, gadwall, GBH, Savannah's sparrow, house finch, golden-crowned sparrow, killdeer, rock dove, cinnamon teal, organge-crowned warbler, common yellowthroat, Cooper's hawk, brewer's blackbird, blue-winged teal, wood duck, American goldfinch, brown-headed cowbird

Notes from the day:

While there wasn't much activity in either the cove or the swamp in the morning, Shoveler's Pond made up for it in spades. I joined a few other birders near the pond to admire a pair of blue-winged teals who had recently arrived at the Fill. They dabbled alongside of the shovelers and the mallards, which were both giants compared to the teals.

While the cove wasn't teeming with bird life as it usually is, I did get to see a wood duck there for the first time in weeks. While I didn't see any ducklings, I did get to see this male take a lap around the cove. Hopefully the ducklings will be here next week.

The water was easily at it's highest level in the cove that it's been all year. Normally the activity in this particular area is dominated by the birds, but not today. Carp were surfacing along the shore in the shallows thrashing about the weeds. They were doing the same thing in the Southwest Pond as well. Initially I thought that they may be nest robbing but they were in fact mating. Apparently, carp require a sunny day when water levels are high and the water temperature is somewhere between 65-74 degrees Fahrenheit. And today, all three requirements were met and there was thrashing all over the place. Pretty cool to experience it.

I decided to sit for a short time along the fenceline of the helipad in search of the brewer's blackbirds. I had heard from another birder a few weeks ago that a pair was nesting near the area but I hadn't spotted them until today. After I had sat motionless for about 15 minutes, I decided to pack up and try again another day. Just then, the male brewer's blackbird flew right above my head and posed for a few pictures. The female flew in shortly after.

A pied-billed grebe had her young swimming out in the middle of the Southwest Pond. She would dive to get them food and feed them as soon as she'd surface. I saw a few other pied-billed grebes throughout the day, but only the one had young with her.

The Canada geese had their goslings out on the water today near the Turtle Logs. Last week I saw them for the first time feeding on grass seeds along the shore of the Main Pond, but today they were motoring along the lake. And there were plenty of spectators taking in the beautiful sight.

I finally caught one of the wiley common yellowthroats on camera just east of the slough. Normally they only let me see them from afar for only a split second, but this one decided to pose for a few seconds. They were singing just about everywhere in Union Bay today, just as they were last week.

Aside from the heat, it was a productive day at the Fill. I experienced a new arrival and a few first of the year sightings today which I'm extremely thankful for.

April 25, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:45am-3:15pm
Weather: Slightly overcast but sunny most of the day. Mid to high 60s.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 41: robin, spotted towhee, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, barn swallow, Virginia rail, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, double-crested cormorant, bushtit, mallard, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, American coot, bald eagle, Wilson's snipe, American crow, northern shoveler, American wigeon, bufflehead, pied-billed grebe, yellow-rumped warbler, marsh wren, northern flicker, song sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, European starling, red-winged blackbird, gadwall, GBH, Savannah's sparrow, house finch, golden-crowned sparrow, killdeer, rock dove, Steller's jay, red-tailed hawk, cinnamon teal, organge-crowned warbler, common yellowthroat

Notes from the day:

After having guests with me for the last few weeks on my bird walks, I have to admit that it was really nice to be flying solo again today. When I was with my guests, I'd feel weird telling them to hang tight for 45 minutes while I observe the shovelers interact with one another on the pond. So I really haven't had an opportunity to observe behaviors on extended sits until today.

The walk's predominant theme was babies. They were everywhere and many species were out flaunting their young in the warm sun. It's funny since I was just here 5 days ago and didn't see any young - except for the Anna's. The natural world and it's cycles truly are an amazing phenomenon.

I came across my first group of ducklings in Yesler Cove. They stuck close to their mother and she was doing a good job of keeping them near the edge of the pond where there was plenty of cover.

Soon after the duckling encounter, I came across a group of goslings dining on grass seed heads with their parents watching intently nearby. One parent would feed while the other would stand guard over the family with it's neck extended. I wouldn't want to be a predator trying to snatch away one of the goslings. Canada geese can be incredibly mean and aggressive when they want to be.

As I followed an orange-crowned warbler sound that I had heard in brush north of the Southwest Pond to see if I could get a sighting, I was surprised to what I found. A male northern flicker flew right above me and began to preen for a few minutes. I was super happy to get to observe one of my favorite birds from such a close distance. Much to my surprise, it got better when the female flew in and perched right next to him. Soon after, he mounted her and I was able to witness a rare mating moment. I was even able to snap a photo.

I was fortunate to witness a pair of red-winged blackbird males performing courtship displays for a female near southeast pond. They were taking turns stretching out their wings perpendicular to their head so as to flash their bright red and organge colors to the female. They ended up spotting me and decided to put their dance temporarily on hold. I guess they like their privacy.

In the past few weeks, the violet-green swallows were the predominant swallow species feeding over the ponds, lake and meadows. Today, I believe I only saw one violet green the entire day. Both the tree and barn swallows were heavily concentrated in various places along the main trail. Here was a tree swallow that took to one of the gourd nests near the greenhouse.

The wood ducks have been nowhere to be found for about 3 or 4 weeks now. Their young are precocial so almost as soon as they hatch, they jump to the ground from an elevated nesting cavity and head towards their mother on the water. According to the Birder's Handbook, incubation time for wood duck eggs can last up to 37 days. So I'd like to think that I'm a week or two from seeing wood duck ducklings. Fingers crossed.

I saw my first least sandpiper of the year along the shoreline of the Main Pond. It was foraging right alongside a killdeer and since it was about half it's size, I initially thought it was a killdeer chick. Upon closer inspection, I was able to determine that it was either a semipalmated or least sandpiper due to it's plumage and body size. Once I got in better light, I noticed the greenish yellow legs, which is a giveaway for a least sandpiper (the semipalmated's legs are black). I wonder if there is a specific symbiotic relationship between the sandpiper and the killdeer? They seemed to follow one another fairly closely. I'll make sure to study this behavior more closely if I'm able to witness it again.

Here is another picture of that same sandpiper with one of it's legs tucked up against it's belly to conserve heat. It looked as if it only had one leg at first glance but this is a common sandpiper behavior.

It was amazing to experience all of the new life at Union Bay today. I can't wait to do it again next week.

April 16, 2014

Duration of Visit: 10:45am-2:15pm
Weather: Beautiful day overall. Mostly sunny and in the 60s.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 43: robin, spotted towhee, dark-eyed junco, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, American goldfinch, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, double-crested cormorant, bushtit, mallard, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, American coot, bald eagle, Wilson's snipe, American crow, northern shoveler, American wigeon, bufflehead, pied-billed grebe, yellow-rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, Bewick's wren, marsh wren, northern flicker, song sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, European starling, red-winged blackbird, gadwall, GBH, golden-crowned kinglet, Savannah's sparrow, house finch, golden-crowned sparrow, killdeer, rock dove, Steller's jay, hooded merganser, brown-headed cowbird.

Notes from the day:

Today I took a little different approach to birding at the Fill since I was with my students from Alderleaf. Typically, I prefer to find high activity spots and sit for prolonged periods of time to allow the birds to relax and resume baseline behavior. When in a group, it's rare that everyone has enough patience to sit for long enough to be able to enjoy the birds when relaxed. So I essentially just took the approach of reviewing where the different species were located throughout the area and what specific behaviors that they've been demonstrating as of late.

One great benefit of being in a group was that we had a lot of eyes and birds were harder to miss. One of the students spotted a Cooper's hawk perched mid canopy in Yesler Swamp. I probably wouldn't have spotted it on my own. It was also the students who located the first pair of cinnamon teals to arrive for the year. We spotted these two on the Main Pond. They just arrived here from their wintering grounds in South America. I'm expecting to see the blue-winged teals within the coming weeks who are travelling from just a little farther south.

The mallards truly are the bravest of all the ducks. At least here at Union Bay. For some reason today I was able to get closer to them than I ever have before. Maybe it's because they've expended so much energy in courting, nesting and territorial defense that they aren't as quick to move as they once were? Here's a picture of one of the students hand feeding a female mallard near the Southwest Pond.

Another killdeer mating pair (maybe it's the same pair from last year) has nested in the tall grasses in the the meadow directly to the west of the Main Pond. I didn't get to witness it myself, but another group of students was able to observe one of the killdeer do a broken wing display. The broken wing display behavior is one typical of birds which nest on the ground near open areas. Then intent is that the bird pretending to have a broken wing is trying to lure you away from it's nest by becoming an easy target for a predator. The white-crowned sparrow also performs the same behavior.

The baby Anna's hummingbird in the cherry tree near the Turtle Logs has almost grown bigger than the nest. They typically only stay in the nest for between 2-3 weeks so this is probably one of the last times I'll get to see it here. I've had a chance to watch this little guy since it's first days, thanks to another birder who pointed out the nest location.

One of the other teachers heard a common yellowthroat off the main trail near Shoveler's Pond. As you may have figured, they are elusive little guys and didn't show themselves. They typically sing their easy to recognize, simple song over and over from within cover. Let's put it this way, I've heard about 15 of them so far this year and have only seen one and that was only for a split second.

A house finch nest had fallen to the ground just north of the Turtle Logs - just across the trail from the hummingbird nest. It seemed however that they had built a new one already since one was bringing nesting material back to the same spot where the previous one fell (about 15 feet up within a ledge on a large tree). Here is one of the student's displaying the nest.

Overall, it was a great day with the students and a few of them even got the birding bug. I also found out through them that you can rent a canoe for $9 an hour and I think that one of these weeks I am going to rent one to get a different perspective. Also, I'd be able to observe some areas of the Fill that I typically wouldn't be able to get to.

April 12, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:30am-2pm
Weather: It went from sunny to overcast throughout the day but it was beautiful out overall. There was a brief time in the afternoon where it got into the high 60s..

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 43: robin, spotted towhee, dark-eyed junco, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, American goldfinch, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, double-crested cormorant, bushtit, mallard, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, American coot, bald eagle, Wilson's snipe, American crow, northern shoveler, American wigeon, bufflehead, pied-billed grebe, yellow-rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, Bewick's wren, marsh wren, northern flicker, song sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, European starling, red-winged blackbird, gadwall, GBH, golden-crowned kinglet, Savannah's sparrow, house finch, golden-crowned sparrow, killdeer, rock dove, Steller's jay, hooded merganser, red-breasted merganser, brown-headed cowbird.

Notes from the day:

For the second week in a row, I searched for the brewer's blackbirds near the helipad but neither heard or saw them today. However, in the slough near the helipad, I did get to see this female hooded merganser swim by me. I should appreciate them while they're around because they should begin nesting soon up in tree cavities, much like the wood ducks have already done.

The American wigeons have been decreasing in numbers every week for the last month or so and today I only saw one all day long. It was swimming pretty far out on the lake amongst a mixed flock. The birds weren't heavily concentrated in any one spot out on the lake today rather they were spread out all over for the first time all year. I believe it was because there was so much activity on the lake, being it a beautiful Saturday to be boating. The University of Washington rowing team was also practicing in the area making the area even busier still. Maybe all of the humans were serving as a safety barrier from the eagles? I didn't see the eagles hunting over the lake at all today so that could possibly be the case.

After having only seen one or two white-crowned sparrows all year long here, today I began to spot them all over the place. Here is a picture of one that I encountered. They seem to be almost as bold as the golden-crowned sparrows, as this guy let me get pretty close.

I finally located the Wilson's snipe near the Southeast Pond! I had been seeing it's tracks near the area for a couple of weeks now and I decided that I wasn't going home today without actually hearing or seeing one. The matted down cattails provide cover on almost all sides for the 1-2” deep puddles surrounding the pond, making the area a picture perfect habitat for the snipe to do it's foraging. I was able to get around 10 feet away until we noticed one another at roughly the same time. The snipe took to the air over to the other side of the pond and I decided not to pursue out of respect.

Savannah's sparrows were singing all throughout Union Bay today. It's also the first time that I've seen them here this year. Speaking of sparrows, it looks as if the Lincoln's sparrow that has been hanging out in the shrubs near Wedding Rock has finally migrated out of the area to it's nesting grounds for the summer. With one species's exit, comes another's arrival. Here is a pic of one of the Savannah's sparrows.

I saw my first brown-headed cowbird of the year out near the snag in Hoyt's meadow. Did you know that cowbirds got their name because they use to follow large herding mammals such as bison and cows and snatch the insects up as they were disturbed? Bison and cows are nomadic so that probably explains why the cowbird has adopted a parasitic nesting behavior. If they raised their own young, they wouldn't be able to keep up with the herds. Makes a lot of sense.

The water was even higher this week than it was the last. When I walked past the Canada goose nest near Canoe Island in the morning, the mating pair that's always there wasn't anywhere in the vicinity. While the water hadn't enveloped the nest as of yet, I was worried at the time that the high water had driven them off of their nest. Luckily, later in the afternoon, I saw a pair back near the nest. Almost as soon as I took notice, another mating pair quickly flew into the area and attacked the ones near the nest. It turns out that the pair that I initially saw weren't the nesting parents after all. They probably saw a potential nesting habitat (or good feeding/resting area) and decided to take residence while the owners were away. I assume the actual nesting pair easily won the battle because they were willing to expend significantly more energy in defending their territory since they had already laid their clutch. It was a cool experience to witness the confrontation. Below is a pic of the nesting parents after their territorial defense victory.

Almost all of the bushtit nests were close to being finished this week and I was able to get a really good look at one particular nest near the Turtle Logs. It was hanging directly over the trail, so I was able to really admire the brilliance of this bird's nest building skills. These particular bushtits used cherry blossom petals, lichens and flower dead heads to weave this amazing nest together. They were padding the inside of the nest with cattail fluff and continued to do so once I moved along.

According to a few other birders that I spoke with throughout the day, American pipits were spotted by Shoveler's Pond and a common yellowthroat was spotted in the wetland area just north of Southwest Pond. I looked for the yellowthroat for about 15 minutes in the afternoon but was unsuccessful in my search. I did however see one today at Spencer's Island in Everett so I assume they'll be easy to spot at Union Bay within the coming weeks. Overall it was great birding today.

April 4, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9am-2pm
Weather: It was mostly sunny throughout the day in the high 50s to mid 60s. It was a little windy over the lake but calm almost everywhere else.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 40: robin, spotted towhee, dark-eyed junco, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, American goldfinch, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, double-crested cormorant, bushtit, mallard, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, American coot, bald eagle, Cooper's hawk, American crow, northern shoveler, American wigeon, bufflehead, pied-billed grebe, yellow-rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, Bewick's wren, marsh wren, northern flicker, song sparrow, Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, European starling, red-winged blackbird, gadwall, GBH, golden-crowned kinglet, Downy woodpecker, house finch, golden-crowned sparrow, killdeer, rock dove, Steller's jay.

Notes from the day:

I've learned over the course of the last few months that my best days here at Union Bay are usually the ones where I don't come into the day with any expectations at all. But today, I kind of expected to see some intense nesting behaviors and I wasn't let down at all.

I came across two Anna's hummingbird nests throughout the day, one being trailside in Yesler Cove and the other just off the main trail near the Turtle Logs. The nest by the Turtle logs actually already had a brood in it. It was the first brood that I've seen from any species this season and I wouldn't have noticed it if it weren't for my friend Kristian, who joined me for part of my walk today.

I also presume that quite a few other species have already laid their first clutch due to the activity of the corvids - the Steller's jays specifically. They were all over the place today, especially near Wedding Rock. I witnessed one jay get a little too close to a robin nest and the robin began to attack by swooping down on it. A few moments later, another jay arrived on the scene and together they drove the robin away. I watched for awhile longer to see if they'd go for the nest but they never did. I presume they were waiting for me to go away.

I've noticed that both the crows and the starlings have been a little scarce the past couple of weeks. I believe they're both off nesting, or at least the crows are. A fairly large group of them are nesting somewhere near the cove and this morning, I saw them all take flight in pursuit of some sort of bird of prey, presumably either an eagle or a red-tailed hawk that had gotten too close to their nests. I couldn't actually see the bird of prey, but I know that there was one given how the crows reacted. It was a mobbing behavior that I've witnessed numerous times in the past. Plus, I know that there are both red-tailed hawks and eagles nesting nearby.

On the trail going into Yesler swamp, there's a pair of bewick's wrens that I see almost weekly in the same spot along the trail. This week, I only saw one of them though. He was collecting feathers from some of the nesting waterfowl near the swamp. Bewick's wrens typically nest in tree cavities and other natural structures, so all they essentially have to do is collect a soft bedding material. There are plenty of feathers all over the shoreline so it looks like this guy's nest is pretty comfortable.

The Canada geese were no longer congregating in large groups. While a couple of geese have already been nesting for close to 2 weeks, almost all of them have paired up and at least begun the nesting process. The geese were very aggressive today, chasing both one another and other various species out of their territories. For some reason they don't seem to mind the buffleheads getting too close though. It's almost as if there is some sort of symbiotic relationship between the two. This is the second week in a row that I've noticed the buffleheads hanging out with the geese.

A killdeer was feeding and/or drinking in the dime lot until a group of crows began to dive bomb it. The killdeer took flight and would circle around the lot trying to return to the same area. The crows would continue their dive bombing in the air until the killdeer finally gave up and flew to the other side of the lot. It turns out that all the crows wanted was the bathing spot along the edge of the parking lot. They hung out in the area for awhile and the killdeer soon returned. Here is a pic of the crows having a bath.

I came across 4 different bushtit nests today, all hanging from trees/vines/shrubs between 5-10 feet off of the ground. I noticed how one of the nests had more than 2 bushtits working on it, and this perplexed me at the time. After consulting the Sibley Behavior Guide I found out that unpaired males and paired mates who have lost their nest or brood will help other bushtits build nests and raise young. They apparently have very complex social structures. Anyway, the nests were all at different stages of construction, but this one in the picture below was the finest of all four.

It seemed as if the swallows were swooping around in practically every open area that Union Bay had to offer. While there were significantly more violet-greens than tree swallows, I did get to see the tree swallow nesting across from Shoveler's Pond on one of the tall snags perched above her nest. She'd swoop to catch an insect on the wing and then right back to her perch. I wonder if the population of tree swallows is going to be significantly less this year at Union Bay than it was the last? I know a couple of the dead trees that they nested in last year near southwest pond were removed, so I'll keep my eye out for a potential decrease in numbers.

The house finches seemed to be all along the main trail near Shoveler's Pond today. The males were chasing one another and establishing territories. They were also nesting in the vents of the football stadium and over near the Turtle Logs as well. This male was staring down another male in a territorial dispute. I was lucky to snap this one at all since this finch was almost constantly on the move.

Last week I ran into another birder who told me there was a mating pair of brewer's blackbirds near the helipad. I searched around in that general area but couldn't seem to locate them today. I typically never walk over in that general direction but I'm glad that I did for even though I didn't find the blackbirds, I did get to see quite a few different species of waterfowl all along the slough. I believe it was such a popular hang out spot today because of the high water everywhere else.

For the second week in a row, the wood ducks were nowhere to be found. I'm pretty sure that they've begun nesting. Unlike the other dabbling ducks, the wood ducks don't nest along the shore. They'll nest sometimes as high as 70 feet up in the cavity of a tree or snag. Maybe the next time I see them they'll be swimming around with some ducklings?

The water all throughout Union Bay was at it's highest level all year today. Almost everywhere seemed to be flooded. The ducks and coots have taken to standing pools of water inland due to the islands being submerged in water. Many of the areas with standing water also have some pretty great cover to offer and I saw numerous mallard pairs taking advantage of it by building their nests in the brush cover. I spooked one pair out of it's nest but it's ok, I gave them some bread as a peace offering. It's all good.

March 28, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:15am-1:30pm
Weather: It was overcast and rain on and off throughout the day.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 38: Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, Bushtit, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Virgina Rail, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, American Crow, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Canada Goose, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Gadwall, GBH, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Downy Woodpecker, House Finch, Lincoln's Sparrow, Killdeer

Notes from the day:

I had more company again this week as my friend Kevin from Alderleaf joined me on my walk. I've never before seen Yesler swamp teeming with as much activity as I did today. I had come into the day with low expectations, but the rain ceased temporarily when we entered the swamp trail and song was coming from almost every direction. We were graced by the creepers, a downy woodpecker, American goldfinches, bushtits and a host of others. We felt like we'd seen 25 species before we even got out of the cove.

Towards the fence line trail, we witnessed a northern flicker excavating a nest atop a tall snag. Before I could get my camera focused in, the female flew to a nearby big leaf maple and called until her mate joined her. They sat next to one another high up in the tree for a short time until the male flew on top of the female and mated with her. We decided to move along and give them a little privacy.

Once we were out of the cove, the first species that I notice running around the meadow is a killdeer. I had only seen them either near the Main Pond or by the Dime Lot in the past so this was pretty cool. It was feeding along with the robins and let us get fairly close. I was told by a fellow birder that a pair had been seen recently getting ready to nest near the dime lot. Here's a picture of the one in the meadow.

The red flowering currants near Wedding Rock were absolutely beautiful today and the hummingbirds and bushtits were in agreement since they were all over them. In a nearby shrub, I found my first Lincoln sparrow of the year. I'm pretty sure that it's been in the area for awhile after speaking with another birder, but I've somehow never noticed it. Here is a pic:

Shoveler's pond was light on activity today, especially since it was raining almost every time I walked near it. I did however find a recently deceased male northern shoveler along the water's edge. In the picture below, you can see the inside of the bill lined with hundreds of lamellae which filter out seeds and invertebrates. This comb like filter enables the shoveler to get to invertebrates hiding within dense vegetation, especially in the winter months when food is scarce. This is why they can over-winter in this area when other dabblers cannot.

Due to the rain, the swallows were all flying low out over the lake catching insects hovering above the water's surface. There seem to be more and more arriving every week. Once the rain stopped for a short time in the afternoon, they followed the insects to back over the meadow and we were able to get a closer look. We mainly saw violet-green swallows today and I wasn't able to detect any activity at the tree swallow nest that I had discovered up high in a snag near Shoveler's Pond last week.

Normally, I've been seeing the resident Cooper's hawk every other week or so, but it's almost always been while it's in flight. It also is almost always coming to or from an area out past the shell house where I believe it may be nesting. This week it was flew in from the north and took a perch high in a deciduous stand above the Yard Pond, where it preened and casually checked out the activity below to the north. I'm not sure what it was looking at but I'll be sure to comb over the area when I'm back next week and I have a little more time.

The wood ducks were nowhere to be seen this week and we checked just about everywhere. We even walked up the road past the shell house to get some good looks near the beaver dam. I couldn't get near the water since there were some Canada geese and gadwalls feeding near the entrance and I didn't want to invade their space. I presume maybe the wood ducks have either begun nesting or they were hiding out from the rain.

One last thing that I wanted to note before I wrap up is that both the lagoon and cove islands were almost completely flooded over today. Usually these islands are key resting areas for waterfowl causing there to be much greater activity within the inland ponds and large puddle accumulations along covered portions of the trails. I always enjoy watching birds adapt to ever changing conditions and do it with relative ease. We could probably learn a few things from them.

March 21, 2014

Duration of Visit: 10am-2pm
Weather: It was cool out, especially along the lake but it was a relatively clear and sunny day overall.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 38: Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, Bushtit, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Crow, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Gadwall, GBH, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hooded Merganser, Hairy Woodpecker, House Finch

Notes from the day:

I was very fortunate to have one of my good friends and birding mentors along with me for my walk today, Fil Tkaczyk. Fil is an amazing naturalist who has been observing wildlife here at Union Bay for ovar a decade. I truly feel that I learn exponentially more when he's along with me, and that held true again today.

Gadwalls were being rather aggressive with one another in the cove. Aside from a few teals, they were about the only ones there in the morning. Sometimes the male would not only chase another male, but another female as well. I believe this was an attempt at forced copulation. Unpaired males of dabbling ducks are known to force copulation with an already paired female. This explains why the aggressive behavior was being displayed towards both sexes.

Nesting was the theme of the day again. A pair of Canada geese were nesting on a small patch of land near the Mud Island. The female was sitting on the nest while the male stood, or should I say swam, guard nearby. We got a chance to see a crow get a little too close to the nest and the male lowered it's head and flew directly at the crow until it got to within a far enough distance. A pair of buffleheads swam a little too close as well but they didn't get the same kind of reaction. It makes sense since the crows are nest raiders and the buffleheads are fish eaters. The Canada geese know this too.

I also got to witness the Canada geese reacting to a dog approaching along the trail. They let us get pretty close to them, but once the dog came close they began alarming all in unison as a group with their necks in a stiff position. As soon as the dog passed, they became relaxed again and continued feeding. I used to always get upset at people who allow their dogs off leash along the main trail, but now I love it because I get to see all the different alarms from the bird species as the dog scampers amongst the different habitats.

There was a GBH sitting with the cormorants in the middle of the lagoon. I've never seen one here before but it must have been good hunting today. I saw his head go into striking position a few times while I was looking on. It's amazing how quickly they can move their heads.

The violet-green swallows were flying everywhere again today, except they weren't as high up. I only saw a few tree swallows and one of them was building a nest up on a tall snag near Shoveler's Pond. Last season I remember them nesting on a snag near the Southwest Pond but this tree is no longer there. I was wondering what new spot that they were going to pick this year and it looks as if my question has been answered.

Four red-tailed hawks were spotted by both Fil and I throughout the day. The most interesting encounter occurred on the walk back to the car at the end of the day. As we approached the greenhouse from Wedding Rock, we noticed a pair of red-tailed hawks attempting to perform a courtship ritual where the male lowers his talons while in flight and drops from below the female to touch her in the back. They happened to fly over an area which must have been home to a group of crows because they began to mob and dive bomb in large numbers. They escorted the pair a comfortable distance away before they ceased their pursuit. It was a pretty cool experience.

Shoveler's were out in full force on the Southwest Pond and they were being very aggressive towards one another. The males would swim close to one another and bob their head up and down slowly. I believe I even witnessed what looked to be a forced copulation similar to what I saw happen earlier in the day with the gadwalls. I wonder why this particular behavior is more common amongst the dabblers?

The ducks and coots were concentrated into one unusually large group in the middle of the lake today. Maybe they've noticed it's safer in large numbers given the juvenile eagle has been hunting them lately. I didn't get to witness any hunting attempts but I did see both a juvenile and an adult hovering far over the lake today.

For the first time this year, I heard the bushtits singing for extended periods of time. Usually they quickly pass through an area companion calling with one another along the way. Today, they sat high up in the trees along of the shore of Yesler Cove and sang away.

Fil had seen a Wilson's snipe in the meadow between the Main Pond and the Southwest Pond a few years back but after throuroughly searching for one the last few weeks in that same area, I had been unsuccessful in finding one. While I didn't see or hear one today, Fil pointed out a snipe track along the main trail running alongside the meadow. Snipes apparently like to hang out in tall grass mounds near puddles roughly 1” in depth looking for worms. We searched a few different similar habitats but wasn't able to find a snipe today. Now that I know one is currently in the area, I'll look a little harder within the coming weeks.

The recurring theme again today was courting, mating and nesting. It's that time of year and it's super exciting. You should get over to Union Bay if you can. Things are heating up.

March 15, 2014

Duration of Visit: 8:45am-2:45pm
Weather: Light showers periodically throughout the day but mostly it was just overcast. The sun popped out a few times and while it wasn't the greatest day, I can't complain.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 37: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, Bushtit, Virginia Rail, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Pileated Woodpecker, American Crow, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Gadwall, GBH, Golden-crowned Kinglet

Notes from the day:

Nesting and territorial aggression were the predominant behaviors of the week. The three birds that I observed displaying these behaviors the most were Anna's hummingbirds, red-winged blackbirds and robins. In regards to nesting, the Anna's and red-winged blackbirds were primarily just collecting nesting material from various sources, while the robins seemed to nearly have their nests finished. I saw two nearly completed nests throughout the day and both had a lone female robin perched near them just a few feet away. I know that both males and females partake in the nest building so maybe in both instances the males were out gathering more materials while the females were standing guard? Another thing that I noticed was the trees that they were in were bare of foliage, so I don't expect them to lay their first clutch of the year until the leaves can provide them adequate cover from predators - possibly another month or so. Or maybe they will actually lay before the leaves pop? I'll keep my eye out the next couple of weeks. Here is a picture of one of the females standing guard:

Crows are typically very abundant at Union Bay and even though I see hundreds each time that I'm here, I always find their behavior to be the most intriguing of all of the birds. This week, they were gathered along the main trail near Shoveler's Pond and actually let me walk into the center of their gathering without dispersing. One particular crow got incredibly close so I decided to stop and feed it a few pieces of crust from my sandwich. I purposely tossed the bread a few feet away to see if he'd come that close and when he'd hesitate, another would daringly get a little closer until one finally flew in close enough to snatch it and fly away. Once I had built up a little trust, more and more crows flew in to get in on the action and I was suddenly swarmed. They followed me around for awhile until they realized that I didn't have any more to give. Normally I watch the crows in hopes of them telling me where a raptor is hiding out, so it was fun observing them from a completely different perspective today.

I saw a juvenile eagle hunt waterfowl out near the center of the lake while one of it's parents looked on from a perch low alongside the expressway. There were two large concentrations out on the lake and the eagle took a pass at the first, was unsuccessful, and immediatlely swooped down on the other, unsuccessful again. Possibly content with it's efforts (or ashamed?), he slowly made his way back towards the nest while the adult took flight and came back in the direction of the marshlands near Douglas Road. In that particular area, there seemed to be hundreds of American goldfinches chattering in the bare deciduous canopies. The eagle hovered over the area for awhile, but must have seen something it liked near the lagoon and it swooped down in that direction. I was near the main pond at the time and I started to run to see if it had made a kill but I wasn't able to see anything when I arrived. Cormorants had been the only species in the lagoon throughout the day so I'm assuming that they were the intended target? Given how they alarmed to the eagle last week, I'm pretty sure that was the case.

Great blue herons weren't gathered in a group today like they were last week. I did see a few though and one particular was perched about 15 above Southwest Pond on a branch of a snag. I've never seen them up this high before, any thoughts?

I haven't seen a pileated in a few weeks but I had a really close encounter with one out in the meadow north of the Yard Pond - I typically don't spend much time in this area but I'm now going to start due to the large amount of activity. It was a male and he began feeding about 10-15 feet away from me as if I wasn't even there. Directly nearby, I heard a bird that I couldn't identify in an evergreen up near the top. I couldn't get a visual but I heard the song for awhile but nothing rung a bell. I'll look again for it next week - and bring along a recording device since I quickly forgot the song.

The violet-green swallows finally arrived and were swarming all over the Bay today. I never saw any perched but I saw their white rumps that distiguish them from one of their lookalikes, the tree swallow. There were a few of them feeding in the area as well. The violet-greens were feeding over 100 feet up in the air since that is where the insects seemed to be in the afternoon. I've been told that they do this both near the beginning and end of a storm front. In the morning however, they were feeding near the ground.

I went over past the row house looking for the wood ducks and couldn't see any from the pier. But as I crossed the street and took another look across the gym, I finally saw one out on the water. There also was a wood duck in Yesler Cove in the afternoon which is weird since I've never seen one anywhere near there before. I've noticed that there are considerably less and less of them each time that I come here and I'm wondering if it's because they've already begun nesting? I also saw a Downy woodpecker feeding near the ground directly to my right in the same area. Typically I only see them near the swamp but I believe there must be another pair of them in this area as well. Maybe the downies and wood ducks are playing tricks on me?

Over all it was a great day at the Bay.

March 7, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:30am-2:45pm
Weather: Cloudy and cool in the morning. Around noon, the sun came out and it warmed up into the 60s. Turned out to be a beautiful day.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 42: Eurasion Wigeon, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, Bushtit, Virginia Rail, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, American Crow, Steller's Jay, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Gadwall, GBH, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Merganser, Downy Woodpecker, Feral Pigeon.

New Arrivals: Eurasian Wigeon.

Notes from the day:

I finally saw my first Eurasion Wigeon today and I wouldn't have seen it if it wasn't for the plant sale taking place at the Center for Urban Horticulture. The CUH parking lot was completely full and there was a line of cars waiting to park, so I parked down the block near the Talaris Conference Center across the street. As I exited the car, I noticed a reddish head amongst a flock of American wigeons out on the conference center's central pond. I quickly pulled out my binoculars and verified that it was in fact a Eurasian Wigeon. It was intermingling amongst a flock of over 100 American Wigeons. Here is a picture of him:

It appears that the golden-crowned kinglets haven't disappeared after all. I thought they may have moved on from the Yesler swamp area since I haven't seen or heard them in the area for the last couple of weeks. They were present in fairly large numbers in the upper canopy near the swamp and for the first time all year, I heard them singing! It had been mostly their dainty chipping calls throughout the winter. I wonder if they're getting ready to breed? Anyway, it was good to see them again. I've really gotten to know this species pretty well over the winter since they spent a lot of their time feeding near the ground. Now that they've moved high again, I'll just have to admire them from afar I guess.

I also encountered my first flock of bushtits of the day near the swamp. They moved through the area rather quickly (as usual), followed by one of the resident downy woodpeckers. I know there's a mating pair in this area, they've just been a little scarce the past few weeks. Or maybe I haven't looked hard enough? Anyway, it was good to see one of them again. I was actually fortunate to have been graced by bushtit flocks multiple times throughout the day. Aside from the crows and starlings, I probably didn't see more of any other bird today than the bushtits. Here is pic of one of them along the fence line trail in Yester Cove.

By the time I finally made my way over into the Cove, it was hopping with activity. A red-breasted merganser casually floated in the center while it was accompanied by groups of gadwalls, mallards, wigeons, shovelers, ring-necked ducks and green-winged teals. There were large numbers of all of them except for the ring-necks. I had never seen the cove this crowded before. I found out later in the day that most of the sunning spots throughout Union Bay were flooded over, including the island in the lagoon (which is usually a really popular hang out spot). The cove was probably one of their only options and that's where they all happened to congregate today. Even the eagles took notice and hovered over the area multiple times throughout the day. The wigeons would all swim for cover near the shore while the mallards and gadwalls continued to either casually swim, bathe or nap. This is the second week in a row that I've witnessed the wigeons being the first and only species to react to an alarm while the other species in the area went about business as usual. I'm starting to think that they may be more skittish than the rest.

As I moved out of the cove into the meadow near the stained glass booth, I was greeted by my first house finch of the year in Union Bay. I've seen quite a few this year in both my home in Snohomish County and on campus, but this was the first one here. He even took a moment to sing me a really beautiful song before he ducked back into the thicket.

As I headed over to check out Wedding Rock, I heard and saw hundreds of crows cawing on all sides of Shoveler's Pond, so I turned and headed in that direction to investigate. The trees were full of them and along the shore, almost as many were having a drink and/or taking a bath. It was the most crows that I've ever seen here at Union Bay (and for those of you that know this area, there is usually too many to count to begin with). And funny enough, a mating pair of shovelers fed while they swam in a circular pattern together. It was almost as if they were putting on a performance for the crows.

This week I only saw one lone tree swallow perched high up above the Southwest Pond along the southern shore. He let me observe directly below him for a few minutes before he took flight to catch insects out over the meadow. Last week I saw 5 or 6 in the same area. Not sure if they moved on or if I just wasn't in the right place at the right time this week to see the rest. Here is a pic of the swallow that I did see:

The pied-billed grebes weren't paired up again this week like they were the last. In fact, I only saw four all day long. I watched one actually catch a fish over near the Shell House and the other 3 were all hanging out together near where Yesler Cove opens up into the lake. Maybe they weren't getting ready to mate afterall? I'll continue to observe their behaviors next week.

The ruby-crowned kinglet males were flaunting their red crowns for the first time this year. I've seen them almost every week for over a month and this was the first time I've seen them with their flashy crowns. They were intermingling with the bushtits on the west end of the cove along the fence. They're probably getting ready to mate as well.

I had an opportunity to witness multiple species of birds bathing today. I think it's because we've gotten so much rain that puddles have formed almost everywhere in the area. A good number of the puddles were either on or near cover and the birds took advantage of it. I think I counted 5 different species taking a dip. Here is a pic of a group of starlings bathing in the Dime Lot.

When I approached the turtle logs in the morning, I noticed there didn't seem to be a bird anywhere on the entire lake. The water was really choppy and a lot of the birds seemed to be congregating both in the ponds and newly created puddle lakes all throughout Union Bay. When the sun came out in the afternoon, the birds returned to Lake Washington in the center of the Bay as they usually do. The eagles soared high above them and this time there were three. One was an adult but the others were too far away to distinguish. I believe at least one was a juvenile since I saw it hovering above the cove earlier in the day.

When I walked down into the marshy area east of Douglas Road, all of the crows which I had seen earlier near Shoveler's Pond had congregated in the trees above my head. This time, a group of starlings of equal numbers flew in to join them and it was annoying loud. The last time I saw this many starlings and crows in one small area exhibiting this type of behavior, a Cooper's flew past and both species began to mob the accipiter. Maybe there was a raptor in the area? I looked pretty hard but wasn't able to detect anything.

Last week I heard my first Virginia rail calls. This week, I heard them in three different areas throughout the Bay. One was on the northwest shoreline of Yesler Cove. The other was by the Reading Rocks and the third was over on the Southwest Pond (where I heard them last week). Two of the three encounters were pairs of rails calling back and forth to one another. I'm not sure if that's a courtship behavior or it's two males being territorial. The reason I say so is that one of the pairs was performing a grunt display call. I'll research this more before next week.

I thought the GBHs were getting ready to nest because the large gatherings that became a regularity earlier in the year ceased during the last couple of weeks. Well today they were back congregating along the shore near the Conibear Mitigation again. There were 16 of them in total along a 40 yard stretch of shoreline. Another birder who was admiring the sight along with me said that he once saw 23 of them gathered along a similar sized stretch of shore last year. Here is a picture of a few of them:

My wish coming into today was to see a Cooper's hawk. Well my wish was granted while I was observing the yellow-rumped warblers on the north end of the Southwest Pond. It flew low over the pond coming from the south and used the deciduous stand as cover while it sharply turned east to surprise the starlings gathered on the ground in the meadow to the east. I saw the hawk swoop towards the ground but I wasn't able to tell if the hunt was successful. It was a pretty sneaky maneuver overall by the Cooper's. Usually when I see them at Union Bay, so do the crows. This time, the crows didn't see it coming at all.

It was a great day overall and I'm looking forward to see what behaviors and new arrivals I'll experience next week. Until then.

February 28, 2014

Duration of Visit: 9:30am-2:30pm
Weather: Sunny and beautiful. I believe it got up to 60 and I really couldn't have asked for a better day.

Map of Union Bay for Reference: CLICK HERE

Species count was 40: White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Robin, Spotted Towhee, Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, Double-crested Cormorant, Bushtit, Virginia Rail, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Crow, Steller's Jay, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Belted Kingfisher, Gadwall, GBH.

New Arrivals: American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, White-crowned Sparrow, Bushtit

Notes from the day:

No less than a few minutes into my walk down the trail to Yesler Swamp, I was greeted by close to 10 different species. It was the first time this year that I've seen either a white-crowned sparrow or a brown creeper so it was a surprising start to the day. The last few times I've seen creepers, they've been tagging along with flocks of black-capped chickadees or golden-crowned kinglets. This time it was was all by itself.

Yesler Cove was really quiet this morning. Aside from a few gadwalls and green-winged teals, nothing else was on the water. Except for the turtles, they were out sunning on every available log. There must have been close to 50 of them throughout the cove.

The teals were alarmed by something and took off in a hurry out onto the lake. The funny thing is that the gadwalls didn't seem to be concerned at all. They just went about business as usual. If they would have taken flight along with the teals, I probably would have been more inclined to investigate the cause of the alarm. I had been standing completely still observing them for some time before the teals took flight so the alarm probably wasn't caused by me.

As I moved along the fence line trail at Yesler Cove, I noticed the Steller's jays were unusually quiet. They've been obnoxiously loud over the course of the last month, so it was kind of strange. As I moved closer to investigate, two crows came from the direction of the greenhouses and began to mob a red-tailed hawk. They repeatedly dive-bombed it until it took flight and escorted it out of the area towards the lake. I came back to the same spot in the afternoon and the Jays were obnoxiously loud once again. It makes me wonder why the crows aren't afraid to mob the hawk but the jays are, being they're both corvids. I think maybe Steller's jay was on the menu for the hawk sometime in the not so recent past. What do you think?

As I exited Yesler Cove into the meadow, I was greeted by song in almost every direction. I walked towards the Stained Glass Booth and I was greeted by flocks of both yellow-rumped warblers and bushtits moving through the mid to lower canopy. The bushtits passed through the area in a large flock and were gone before I knew it. They were feeding on insects in the catkins while the warblers would take off from their perches to catch insects on the wing. Even though the encounter was brief, it was nice to see the bushtits for the first time in awhile. Here is a photo of one of the warblers that got within 5 feet of me.

The Anna's hummingbirds were all over the place today. I saw my buddy that's always at the same tree, no matter the weather, near Wedding Rock. They looked much greener today than they usually do. I'm sure it had something to do with better lighting, but I think the males are getting closer to breeding. They were chasing each other everywhere today. While they display that behavior rather frequently, they seemed to be more territorial than usual.

Shoveler's Pond was empty as usual. Maybe it's too deep for the dabblers and not deep enough for the divers? It's the only large watering area in Union Bay that doesn't have waterfowl on it at the moment. And it hasn't had any now for some time.

I was able to photograph my first belted kingfisher today! I've been trying to do so for over a year now and have been wildly unsuccessful. He let me watch him hunt before he flew off over to the lagoon, which is where I'm pretty sure he lives. I saw him over there a few weeks ago.

I was also able to see my first tree swallow of the year. I had heard on Tweeters that they had been seen down in Nisqually earlier in the week and was hoping they would make it this far north for my visit today. I probably only saw 5 or 6 of them feeding about 20 feet up in the air over the meadow near Southwest Pond.

As I was watching the swallows, the mating pair of eagles flew over the north end of the lagoon towards campus and the cormorants all took off flying towards the lake. Maybe the eagles have had cormorant on their menu in the recent past? I found it odd how that they fled the area but all of the other ducks and coots remained on the water in the lagoon. My guess is that they're slower in flight and are an easier target. Jon Young told a story of how he witnessed a bald eagle kill a GBH during a sit that he was doing so I wouldn't be surprised if they occasionally dined on cormorant.

Southwest pond was pretty active today. I saw my first two American goldfinches of the year on the northern side and in the southwest corner I heard my first Virginia rail! I waited forever to see it but it never made an appearance. There were actually two of them and they'd occasionally call to one another, but both always stayed in cover. At least I got to hear one for the first time.

The GBHs weren't gathered along Canoe Island any more in a rookery. Maybe they're getting ready to mate? The males build the nest so one of these days (maybe next week?) I'll get to see them carrying nest building materials. I only saw one today hunting along the water's edge in the lagoon. It was probably the least amount of GBHs that I've ever seen here.

One of the coolest things that I saw today were the eagles hunting over the lake. My friend Fil informed me this week that they prefer to hunt during sunny days because the warm air creates thermal masses that allow them to soar over the lake. Eagles sometimes need to be in the air for long periods of time while hunting and to do so without the thermal masses would take a tremendous amount of energy. To date, practically all of my best eagle encounters occurred on sunny days.

I also have a theory that the eagles sometimes time their lake hunts with the boats that move across the center of the lake. You see the ducks and coots all congregate in large flocks in the center. On calm days whenever a boat comes in, they all scatter to the shore. I doubt it's because they're afraid of the boats. The boats travel through the areas in which they congregate and split them up. The eagles must know this and swoop down to scatter them even more when they're disoriented. I saw the birds scatter a few times as the boats passed through but didn't see any eagles. They probably all expect the eagles to come and take cover regardless. Next week, I am going to look out for this behavior specifically.

So far this year, every pie-billed grebe that I've ever seen at Union Bay has been swimming/diving solo. Most of the time they intermingle with a variety of different species. But today, they were pairing up. I've never witnessed a courtship dance of a grebe and I'm hoping I'll get to do so next week.

Overall, it was the best day I've ever had at Union Bay. The only thing that would make it better would have been to see the Cooper's again. Maybe next week? Until then.