The Hudsonian Godwit found by Ken Knittle and Patrick Sullivan was present
at the Walla Walla River Delta today at 7:00 am and was still present when
we left at 12:30 pm. Several of us from eastern Washington/ Oregon as well
as Ken and Patrick were there to see the bird.

Early in the morning it fed/ flew relatively close to shore offering great
looks from the parking just off Route 12. It took a quick pass to the far
side of the Columbia River and cruised over Benton county. Later in the
morning, it stayed mostly on the outer delta requiring a hike across the mud
to get good views.

The bird was clearly a juvenile with buffy-fringed, dark-centered mantle and
scapulars. It was loafing/ feeding with 20 Marbled Godwits. It was
noticeably smaller than the Marbleds. In flight it appeared to be much more
slender. The white in the rump and at the base of the flight feathers of
the upper wing was prominent in flight. Also the underwing coverts were
black, strongly contrasting with the flight feathers of the underwing.

Other bids at the delta today included: Baird's, Western, Least,
Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpipers; Caspian and Common Tern; Ring-billed,
California, Herring, Sabine's (juv) and Glaucous-winged hybrid Gulls;
Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover; American White Pelican, Double-crested
Cormorants, Western Grebes. Many ecliped ducks (Pintail, Wigeon, Mallard,
Shoveler) and various passerines were also present.


Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland, WA
wlafra at oneworld.owt.com