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Wednesday, May 10, 2023

 

I haven't been birding lately, for various reasons, but today I ventured out there.  The weather was perfect - sunny and in the high 60's by late morning.  I went out to the Snoqualmie Valley, looking for American Dipper, which I hadn't seen yet this year.  In keeping with my practice this year, I kept a day list.

 

My first stop was the Redmond Retention Ponds.  There were American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, an American Coot, and a Mallard around the main pond.  At the neck that connects the main pond with the little pond, a Spotted Sandpiper was standing on a log.

 

It flew down into the water, and I got this shot of the Spotted Sandpiper.

 

A brief stop at the pond at the Redmond Watershed Preserve got me Hooded Merganser and Canada Goose.  On my way out to the Snoqualmie Valley I added American Crow to my day list, and on the west side of the valley, I picked up Pied-billed Grebe.

 

While driving across the valley, I added Barn Swallow and European Starling.  At Sikes Lake, I saw a Wood Duck and three Common Mergansers.  I added Gadwall on the Chinook Bend pond.  Just across the Snoqualmie River, I got this shot of an Osprey on a pole.

 

Too bad about all the electrical equipment, but that's the only shot I got before it flew off over the river.  There was a muddy puddle on the east side of the bridge, and swallows were coming to the puddle to gather mud for their nests.  Here is a Barn Swallow.

 

There were Cliff Swallows, too, and here is one of them, with a beakful of mud.

 

A Common Yellowthroat was singing nearby, and I lured it in for these two pictures.  Male Common Yellowthroat.

 

 

I also added Song Sparrow there.

 

On the way into the town of Carnation, there was a Turkey Vulture circling around overhead.  At the "new" feeder house in Carnation, I added American Goldfinch, House Finch, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, House Sparrow, Steller's Jay, and Eurasian Collared-Dove.

 

I picked up a ham and salami sandwich, made to order at the deli in the Carnation Market, and headed south.  I stopped at the Tolt River bridge, but didn't see any American Dippers or anything else.  I drove down the west side of the Snoqualmie River and eventually spotted a Mourning Dove on a wire.  I turned around and went back to get this picture of the Mourning Dove.

 

It flew down to the ground, and I noticed a White-crowned Sparrow in the grass, another one for my day list.

 

I drove up to Tokul Creek, looking for American Dipper, but I dipped on it for the third time this year.  I ate my sandwich in the car and tried again, but still no dipper.  After that I headed back toward home.  I picked up Common Raven, Red-tailed Hawk, and Feral Pigeon on the way home, to bring my total for the day to 32 species.  I was out for about 4 hours today and drove about 50 miles.  All my pictures except the Spotted Sandpiper ones were taken from the car.

 

I don't think I'll be doing much birding for a while.  I did something to the rotator cuff in my right shoulder back in January, and it still hurts.  Driving hurts it a little, but raising my binoculars and my camera to my face really gets to it.  It isn't the only reason I haven't been birding lately, but it is part of the reason.