Tweeters,

We thought we had discovered a NA first on Bill's Spit this morning. In
a group of plovers, peeps and hundreds of Dunlin there was one Dunlin
like individual that was definitely different. I unsuccessfully tried
to make it a Curlew Sandpiper. This bird had the size, shape and
behavior of the Dunlins it was with, but it was a toasty orange on top
fading to white on the bottom. It had no marks or patterns of any kind
and the kicker was an orange bill.

When we got home I starting examining all the sandpipers of the world
pictures Google could find.

I finally figured it out with the help of
http://www.fosbirds.org/gallery/albinoDunlin.html

It was/is an albino Dunlin. I would rather it was a North American
first.

Pretty bird. Sorry I don't have any photos.

Larry Schwitters
Issaquah