Hello Steve and Tweeters,

I told Patrick I would write something up about the great ponds on the West 90.This are the best ponds I have ever visited in western WA for shorebirds, and were surprised that we did not have more birds in these ponds.Now about the Jensen Access, which we never bird,and I also never read any reports by you Steven, but as we got out of our car the shorebird flocks were already flying over the dike going towards the left at incoming tide.There was a small pond where we found good numbers of shorebirds, where the dike bends to the south then back to the east, east of the parking lot. They were flying further down along the dike and there was another small wetland, and tidal "ponds". Shorebirds started coming in, while others left,which turned out to be one big show, and these birds were not coming to roost sitting still but rather feeding all the time we were there. I hope there are birders out there who have also birded this area and can tell that there have been also seeing this location. I will E-mail Gary Bletch, and hear what he has to say about this location,as we were fascinated about this place. As we were going out to you right where the big wooden pilings where ,we saw flocks after flocks flying fort and back.The tide was high at 2:45 at a high 6.8 also I let you know that I have photos of the Stilt Sandpiper. Also I like to ask you ,if you ask other birders for photos? I believe that I have the most photos of shorebirds in Washington, and also bird the most on the outer coast. What really surprised me that there where more Lesser Yellowlegs, than there were Greater Yellowlegs at this location, as well.

Sincerly Ruth Sullivan
----- Original Message -----
From: SGMlod at aol.com
To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 8:28 PM
Subject: assorted shorebird stuff


Greetings All

First of all -- regarding the juv Stilt Sandpiper at Jensen Access. I must
say that this bird is most surprising on two accounts. Firstly, it is very
early for a juv Stilt Sandiper. Indeed, this report is 10 days earlier than
any record given in Dennis Paulson's book (and 2+ weeks before any in my
experience). Secondly, despite Scott Atkinson's experience, I think Jensen
Access is highly atypical habitat for this species. I have only once seen a
Stilt Sandpiper on a tidal flat anywhere on the west coast. I was wondering
if Ruth managed to get any photos of this bird.

Secondly -- Bar-tailed Godwit vs worn Marbled Godwit can be quite a
challenge. One point that is often visible at a surprising distance is
primary projection. Bar-tailed Godwits have noticeably longer primary
projection than Marbled Godwits. I've found this mark to hold up quite well,
except on one occasion where I encountered a worn Marbled Godwit that
appeared to have relatively long primary projection.

Cheers
Steven Mlodinow