Fifty volunteers from across King County came together in February, at the BirdLoop overlook at Marymoor Park, to dig in the dirt in support of bird habitat.

King County employees walk towards the BirdLoop outlook at Marymoor Park.

For this internal event, volunteers came from across the county and included employees from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, King County Solid Waste Division, King County Wastewater Treatment Division, DNRP Director’s Office, and the Parks Director’s Office.

Doug Hodson, Deputy Division Director of King County Parks, moves mulch.

The focus of bringing together these volunteers was to enhance and support bird habitat at a well-known and beloved birding spot at Marymoor Park. The BirdLoop walk encompasses diverse habitat including a grassy meadow, blackberry thicket, adjacent forest and riparian area, and a wetland marsh. Having an array of habitat in one spot, means many different types of birds can be found in a relatively small area. Enhancing habitat means birds will continue to find the foraging food they need to ready for their migration, the materials they prefer to build a nest and the plants they like to call the BirdLoop home.

While the BirdLoop has amazing, existing habitat, weeds continue to encroach and compete with existing native plants. The focus of the restoration event was two-fold: revegetate an area of the meadow that had been cleared of weeds; and create a physical and visual plant buffer between an important supply staging area for park staff and the BirdLoop walk area.

King County employees install plants in a raised berm at Marymoor Park.

At the event, more than 1,200 plants, trees and shrubs were installed. The plants included flowering shrubs that attract pollinators, trees that grow big and tall providing shade and habitat, and low-lying shrubs that give places for birds to hide and shelter.

King County employees plant shrubs at Marymoor Park.

Parks District Maintenance Coordinator Dave Hennings expressed gratitude to everyone involved with the event. “If it wasn’t for you all, this project would not have happened.”

The Audubon BirdLoop at Marymoor Park is a great spot to return to repeatedly through the seasons and one of the best spots for birding at the park. If you’re interested in birding, the Eastside Audubon has great information on their website on what to see and do at the BirdLoop. If you would like to support bird habitat at Marymoor Park, the Eastside Audubon hosts monthly work parties at the park.