I spent a good long time between 1-3 today watching a female Wilson's
Phalarope at the Fill this afternoon. Initially she was feeding in the shallows at
the lake (south) end of Shoveler pond, until she got stuck between a couple of
incoming crows and a family of geese. She then retired to the edge of the
vegetation along the west edge of the pond. I spotted her again at the main pond
about 15 minutes later, flying over the pond to land at its south edge. After
my loop around the fill I saw her again at Shoveler Pond. What a lovely bird!
One thing - she had distinct elongated dark speckles along her sides which
aren't noted in any of my field guides. Are these markings part of a transitional
plumage?

Catherine Alexander
Lakewood Neighborhood, Seattle