Trip Report
Marymoor Park
5 of us enjoyed a private scouting trip on Mother's Day with 56 bird species in 3 hours/3 miles including great looks and photos of lazuli bunting, red-breasted sapsucker, the heron rookery, belted kingfisher, ducklings, tree swallows, purple martens, cinnamon teals, and common yellowthroats.
Courtenay Schurman
- Sun, May 10, 2026
- Marymoor Park
- Naturalist
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Have $1 available in cash or QR code for parking. Bring bug spray or wear long pants/shirt with hat as the mosquitoes are out and fierce in the grasslands. Cottonwoods are "shedding" so be prepared if you're sensitive or allergic. Go early to bird so you have less interference with rowing traffic on Sammamish River or from dog enthusiasts using the off-leash park.
Once you reach the lakefront boardwalk the bugs are not quite as menacing. We had overcast skies, a light breeze once we reached the Sammamish River, and we even enjoyed seeing the dogs at the off-leash dog park (new to one of our birders) all except for two rambunctious barkers who scared me.
We also enjoyed the heron rookery and pea patch. I shed a few tears at the Dog Memorial wall, remembering with fierce love our wonderful dog who passed Thursday.
5 of us did a Mother's Day scouting trip (7-10:15) at Marymoor to determine a best route for an upcoming Mountaineers birding field trip in late May. With 56 bird species in 3 hours 10 minutes covering just under 3 miles, I'd say it was a very successful and enjoyable trip indeed.
We parked in Lot G and headed along the walking route shown below, just about perfect for 3 hours.
Highlights included great looks and listens to purple martins and tree swallows from the lakefront viewing platform; seeing dozens or more herons coming to and from the heronry like a dinosaur airport; photographing cinnamon teals at the Weir; and catching glimpses (and pictures) of both the lazuli bunting and common yellowthroat (which eluded viewing Saturday at Union Bay).
