[Text by Jean Garrett, photos by Ann Flower & Elyse Jankowski, posted by Chuck Almdale]

The trail at the entrance was enchanting with flowering Bush Sunflowers, and then  orange and yellow poppies  blossoming in the open areas.  Of course, where there are sunflowers there are Lesser Goldfinches busy chattering. 

An Allen’s Hummingbird was out sunning himself on this wonderful spring day with Red-winged Blackbirds heard and seen in the background.  

The previous rains had made the whole marsh area wet with the creeks fairly full creating a heaven for ducks.  Going along the right side of the marsh, there were several Northern Shovelers, American Wigeons, Cinnamon Teals, and a Green-winged Teal swimming in the pond. 

American Wigeons have a lovely pale blue in the secondary wing feathers, not often visible.

Cinnamon Teal have the longest bill of the three Teals, but it’s still much shorter than the Shoverler’s.

It was there that 4 shorebirds landed near the water but it was dark, the sight was fleeting, and after several walks climbing through the brush we never saw them again. Although w reported a “sp. Shorebirds,” the best guess was one of the dowitchers.  By walking in and out of the ponds we could see several Canada Geese and a few Mallards and one Coot.

White-crowned sparrows were singing in the bushes but not seen until later.  But we not only heard the House Wren, we found it.  When it comes to wrens it seems if you hear it then you never see it or if you see it the bird will not sing.  

Out in the open field, several American Kestrels were posing but not well enough (from the back-lighting) to tell if male or female.  One Kestrel with the usual red chest and high up in a tree, looked big enough to be a Cooper’s Hawk but a photograph confirmed it a Kestrel.  

The Hawks were out hunting giving us a Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, and Red-tailed Hawks. On a branch, there was a good look at a Purple Finch with the buffier background on the chest making the streaks look softer than the streaks on a House Finch. 

At the end of the trip, we went over to the bird feeder near the building and could see Scaly-breasted Munias up close and the spectacular native garden. 

Munias are native to south Asia and have long been popular cage birds due to their attractive songs and plumage. They also frequently escape their cages and are now resident near metropolitan areas all around the world.

It’s the only place where I have seen a beautifully grown Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) and as someone pointed out, the sandy soil may have been the secret.  All in all, the trip turned out to be a beautiful Spring day before the next three heavy rain storms arrive.   

And, just to prove that birders don’t only look at birds and flowers, but admire our furry mammals as well…

In the upside down map below, north is at the bottom, so no…you haven’t lost your mind.

As always, many thanks to our photographers: Ann Flower & Elyse Jankowski

Madrona Marsh Trip List	2/14/26	2/8/25	2/10/24	2/11/23	12/10/16
Canada Goose	8	32	8	X
Cinnamon Teal	8			X
Northern Shoveler	13		40	X
Gadwall			2	X
American Wigeon	7	35	2	X	6
Mallard	4	15	50	X	6
Green-winged Teal	2	5		X
Ring-necked Duck					1
Hooded Merganser		2		X
Rock Pigeon		6	8	X	8
Eurasian Collared-Dove	1			X
Mourning Dove	2	6	12	X	50
White-throated Swift		12
Anna’s Hummingbird	2	2	3	X	3
Allen’s Hummingbird	3	3	4	X	9
American Coot	3		2	X	5
Killdeer		1		X
Greater Yellowlegs				X
Sandpiper sp.	4
Ring-billed Gull					2
Western Gull					4
California Gull				X	2
Gull sp.		2
Great Egret			1
Green Heron				X
Black-crowned Night-Heron				X
Sharp-shinned Hawk					1
Cooper’s Hawk		2
Red-shouldered Hawk	2	1			1
Red-tailed Hawk	1	1	2	X	2
Downy Woodpecker			1		1
Northern Flicker (Red-shaft)	2	1	10	X	2
No. Flicker (prob. Red x Yellow)			(1)
American Kestrel	3	1	1	X	3
Merlin		1
Ash-throated Flycatcher					1
Cassin’s Kingbird	4	4	2	X	6
Black Phoebe	2	3	5	X	6
Say’s Phoebe	1	2	1	X	1
California Scrub-Jay			1
American Crow	28	6	12	X	4
Common Raven	2	2	2	X	2
No. Rough-winged Swallow	1		2
Bushtit	1	8	18	X	50
Swinhoe’s White-eye	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet		8			12
Cedar Waxwing				X	20
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	1	6	8	X	13
House Wren	1				1 Heard
Northern Mockingbird			1
European Starling	3	30	5	X	8
Western Bluebird	3
Hermit Thrush					1 Heard
Scaly-breasted Munia	8	20	20		45
Pin-tailed Whydah			18
House Finch	3	20	5	X	20
Purple Finch	2
Lesser Goldfinch	15	50		X	3
American Goldfinch		60	8	X	45
Lark Sparrow		2
Chipping Sparrow			4		6
Brewer’s Sparrow					2
Fox Sparrow					1
White-crowned Sparrow	13	30	15	X	60
Golden-crowned Sparrow		2		X	2
Savannah Sparrow		4		X	4
Song Sparrow	2		8	X	2
Lincoln’s Sparrow	1		1	X	3
California Towhee	2	4	1	X	2
Western Meadowlark			1	X	10
Red-winged Blackbird	8	40	31	X	2
Brewer’s Blackbird		5
Great-tailed Grackle		3	1	X
Black-and-White Warbler		1			1
Orange-crowned Warbler		2		X	6
Common Yellowthroat			1		3
Yellow-rumped Warbler	2	8	40	X	10
Black-throated Gray Warbler		1		X	1
Townsend’s Warbler					1
House Sparrow	2	6	1
Total Species – 77  (forms-80)	38 (45)	43 (44)	41 (42)	46	51