Late yesterday (5 Sept.), a friend and I stopped by the Montlake Fill.
It was almost empty of water-birds, although there was a nice Bittern
fishing at the large pond. At the westernmost pond, the small one
surrounded by bushes, we walked out to the water and almost stepped on a
small shorebird, working the muddy edge all alone. We were able to watch
it for a long time but couldn't decide on an identification. Size is
difficult--certainly small, but maybe as large as 7-8 inches. Bill very
much like a Western Sandpiper's, and we might have called it a funny-
looking Western (but why all alone?) except that its legs were distinctly
yellow. Underparts quite clear white, except that the upper breast was
gray and lightly streaked. It was molting, and the primaries seemed to
be changing from umber edged in tan to gray edged in white. Scapulars
quite distinctly umber edged in tan. We considered Pectoral--but no
distinctly streaked breast ending at a sharp line. We considered molting
adult Sharp-tail, but very unlikely according to Kaufman, and the
streaking didn't seem right. It's probably still there. Has anyone else
seen it, or would someone like to go over and look? I'm obviously very
puzzled.

BTW, regarding the report of a a Bar-tailed Godwit among many
Black-bellies at the Game Range on 3 Sept.: I was there that morning,
hoping for great things on the rising tide after the intense rain. I
walked the game range, saw only two plovers and a few peep, and finally
gave up around 10:30. (I didn't see any other birders.) Did I leave too
early? Nuts! I noticed that one of the hotels had "Welcome Victor
Emanuel Tours" on their reader-board. I hope they saw all the goodies.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 206-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 206-866-6794