Hi Tweeters,

John Hebert and Richard Repp found a female Hudsonian Godwit in breeding
plumage at the Grandview Sewage Treatment Plant today at about 11:30.
Richard phoned me soon after and the troops were on the way.

By the time it was over, Andy and Ellen Stepniewski, Kerry Turley, Debie
Brown and I were also able to see the godwit. The miracle of cell phones!

Photos of the godwit are on the BirdYak website:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BirdYak/

Click on "photos" on the left side of the screen. You will need to be
registered with Yahoo in order to view the photos. You can do that from the
BirdYak website. I will also have these photos I my new photo website real
soon when it gets up and running.

The godwit flew when Kerry, Ellen and I were looking at it but unfortunately
I was more concerned with where it was going than what the wing linings
looked like. One of my photos shows the bird as it was stretching a wing.
The underside of the wing has a pale leading edge, which I think eliminates
Black-tailed Godwit.

Debie arrived after the godwit left and we were all disappointed. I then
went to another pond where Richard and John had found the dowitchers and the
godwit was there. I called Richard, he told Debie and they all came back to
see the godwit. Again, the miracle of cell phones.

Unfortunately, the treatment plant will be closed starting tomorrow and for
the foreseeable future due to construction. Andy speculated that the godwit
will probably head north tonight.

Also at the treatment were one Eared Grebe in breeding plumage American
Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, Western and Least Sandpipers, Long-billed
Dowitchers, and 12 Bonaparte's Gulls still in first winter plumage, plus an
assortment of ducks.

There were three Bonaparte's Gull on Buchanan Lake in Yakima at about 4:15,
one of them in breeding plumage with a black hood.

Denny

* * * * * * * * * * *
* Denny Granstrand *
* Yakima, WA *
* osprey at nwinfo.net *
* * * * * * * * * * *