New Birds at Union Bay Tuesday 17th of April

A few highlights from Tuesday. Hopefully we can get some photos up soon too.

Thanks to the group in Group A who set up the net to catch Savannah Sparrows. We eventually got one beautiful one, plus two LINCOLN's SPARROWS. These are likely migrating through, or on their way upwards to higher elevation or eastern Washington where they breed. I've seen them in high altitude meadows in the summer.
Other new bird: BROWN HEADED COWBIRD. I think some folks saw one on the way to lab, and there was definitely one perched near the bridge on the way out. Male looks a bit like a bit like a red-winged blackbird without the red epaulets. Sings a weird bubbly little song characteristic of Icterids. These guys are brood parasites. Females lay eggs in other birds' nests. They are migratory and are back! They have become common in this area because they do well with habitat modification and can easily penetrate forest edges.

WHITE CROWNED SPARROWS: Seem to be increasing in frequency. All territories along sidewalks down to Union Bay seemed occupied.

GOLD FINCHES: Still super abundant at Union Bay. We caught a bright yellow male which still had some head molt going on, but had pretty much fresh yellow and black plumage (alternate molt) every where else.