The last couple of days I have spent much of the time showing Alexia Stevens different places. Actually, it’s probably more accurate to say that the last couple of days I’ve used Alexia as an excuse to get out and spend time looking around. She gave a very interesting talk about bird language Thursday night. I’m hoping that we can bring her back up here next year to do a full weekend class on bird language. Places we’ve visited include a couple of different trips to Totem Park, Starrigavan, a brief stop at Swan Lake, and the Cancer Survivors Trail by Lower Moller field.

Weather: It’s been chilly, snow level has been below the top of Gavan Hill, but not too far down. There have been periods of rain, with wind, especially associated with the rain showers. Thursday morning was pretty windy.

Birds: Once again, the Cancer Survivors Trail near lower Moller field was full of birds. A new one for the season was Orange-crowned Warblers. We watched one visit the blueberry flowers, and wondered whether it might be getting pollen or nectar. However, when I checked one of the flowers, I did find a small fly in it, which makes me think the bird may have been going for flies in the flowers rather than the nectar or pollen. In addition to the recently arrived Orange-crowned Warblers, there were Savannah Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows (singing), Song Sparrows, Pine Siskins, Robins, Townsend’s Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Rufous Hummingbirds, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and possibly something else I’m forgetting.

There was a report of a possible Townsend’s Solitaire out at Starrigavan earlier in the week, so we decided to take a look out there. We didn’t see a Townsend’s Solitaire, but did notice a Northern Goshawk (the first one I’ve seen). We also saw several Savannah Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. There was also one sparrow that flew up and took a quick look at us before flying off. We couldn’t really decide what it was. It seemed too small and sleek to be a Song Sparrow, plus the head stripes had quite a bit more contrast. I did not think it was a Lincoln’s Sparrow at the time, nor did it have the yellow that Savannah Sparrows that frequent here have. We tried to find it so I could take a picture, but never saw it after the one brief glimpse.

At Totem Park on Friday there were sevel shorebirds and quite a few ducks not far off-shore. We also got some good looks at Townsend’s Warblers. Shorebirds included Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin, Western Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers and a Greater Yellowlegs. Waterfowl included Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Mallard, and Northern Pintails. A few gulls flew up and landed on the beach while we were looking at the other birds. Among them was a Black-legged Kittiwake.

Friday morning there were three Northern Shovelers at Swan Lake, one lone male and a pair. All three were right on the penninsula when I first noticed them, but they swam off promptly when I got out to try for a photo (though I did get a couple before they got too far away).

It was a pretty busy day, as Wednesdays tend to be. This evening Alexia Stevens, the speaker for tomorrow night’s seminar, came in from Seattle. She is staying with Kitty LaBounty, but I had been the one to make arrangements, so both of us went to the airport to see her in. It was a nice evening and the forecast called for rain and wind throughout the time Alexia was scheduled to be in town, so we took advantage and showed her a couple of places around town.

Weather: It was cloudy with rain for much of the day, but this evening it cleared off and the sun shown for a time.

Birds: There were a dozen or so Marbled Godwits at the turnaround. Also in evidence were Surfbirds, Black Turnstones, Western Sandpipers, and Dunlin. The Western Sandpipers, when running around near the Marbled Godwits looked incredibly tiny.

There was a small flock of Western Sandpipers and Dunlin out at Starrigavan as well as a Great Blue Heron and some waterfowl.

Yesterday I didn’t get out too much, but did stop by Moller Park and Sage Beach. Today I managed a couple of brief walks through the park today, one around noon, the other later this afternoon.

Weather: It started raining yesterday, and periods of rain continued through today. I saw a small patch of blue sky this evening.

Birds: The spring migration is starting to ramp up. Yesterday there were many new songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl reported.

The Tree Swallows have returned to Swan Lake.

At lower Moller Park yesterday, there were many birds active, including a Wilson’s Snipe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Pine Siskins, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The highlight was several Townsend’s Warblers, a first of season bird for me.

At Sage Beach I saw a mixed flock of Black Turnstones, Surfbirds, and Rock Sandpipers.

This morning at the park there were a pair of geese, some shorebirds (Black Turnstones, and possibly a Dunlin that I could see), Greater Yellowlegs, and some gulls on the beach. There were quite a few ducks offshore, but I couldn’t really see them well enough to tell what they were. Certainly scaups, goldeneyes, and Buffleheads were represented.

This afternoon at the park the geese were still there, as were gulls, and a Marbled Godwit. Somewhat closer to shore than in the morning, there were Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeons, Mallards, and various other mentioned previously.

Flora: Fern-leaf Goldthread were blooming at lower Moller field.

The huckleberry flowers are getting started, but are not yet fully developed.

The flower buds on the Trailing Currants are out (I did not notice them a couple of days ago when I looked).