BIRD WALK WITH BARBARAbw

THE NEXT BIRD WALK DATE IS SATURDAY, Nov 30th, 2019 TO LOCAL BIRDING HOTSPOTS.

COME JOIN US! IT'S FREE!

STOP INTO THE STORE OR CALL 206-241-3201 TO SIGN UP
MEET IN PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE STORE AT 8:20 AM, FINISH AROUND NOON

Clark Lake Park drew many birders outside on Oct 12th for our monthly bird walk. Six birders gathered here in Burien to carpool to the park in Kent, where six more birders waited for us. Another birder, new to Washington, read about the outing online and wandered down to the lake to join us. What a great group. The lake was emptier than anticipated. A few Mallards and American Coots, a couple of Pied-billed Grebes and a swimming muskrat were seen. As we lingered there more species showed themselves, including a Cooper's Hawk that perched across the lake allowing study through the spotting scope, and a Belted Kingfisher. An American Bittern was seen along the far shore by some in the group! Then things got even better! A very vocal Marsh Wren moved toward us along the lake's edge, allowing glimpses at times, chattering its alarm call. It crossed to the other side of the dock we stood upon, calling and calling, then finally quieting down. We assumed it was disturbed by our presence. All of a sudden the Cooper's Hawk flew toward us from across the lake, landing at eye level on a branch not ten yards from us. As I put the scope on it I spotted a mammal below it in the very next tree. It was a mink! It was investigating a large nest box there, long enough to allow a good look at its size, shape, color and features before it moved into dense bushes below. Soon it was spotted going under the dock and away in the other direction from us. I wondered if the mink had originally arrived from that direction, escorted perhaps by a very alarmed wren? I also wondered if the mink was the reason the hawk chose to fly across the lake and perch so close to a large group of people? 

Here's our species list for the day:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Greater Scaup

Pied-billed Grebe

Rock Pigeon

Anna's Hummingbird

American Coot

Glaucous-winged Gull

American Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Cooper's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Belted Kingfisher 

Northern Flicker

Steller's Jay

American Crow

Black-capped Chickadee

Bushtit

Brown Creeper

Marsh Wren 

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

Pine Siskin

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

 

28 SPECIES

HO = HEARD ONLY

COME JOIN US NEXT TIME! Sat, November 30th, 8:20AM-12NOON

IT'S FUN!!

IT'S FREE!!!

Call 206-241-3201 to sign up.