My friend and I were birding at Ocean Shores, WA today, November 6th
and saw what is very likely a rare bird but do not know what it might
be. It's description is thus:

It's markings and colorings were in many ways like a Western
Meadowlark but it had a long [approximately 2 1/2 to 3 inch], arching
and downward-curving , slim/slender bill [ say on the order of an
Eskimo Curlew or a Whimbrel beak].

It was a little larger than a Meadowlark and it's throat and breast
were a vivid golden-butter yellow and it had a black V shape on it's
upper breast [just like a Meadowlark]. The V thickened at the front.
It's crown was dark brown or blackish in color with, I think, buffy
edging. It had a white eye-brow and a blackish eye-stripe that
thickened behind the eye and then white beneath the eye [cheek].

It's back was scalloped with buffy edging on the individual feathers.
It's tail was on the shorter side, notched and when the bird flew it
showed white outer tail coverts. It's legs were much longer than a
typical passerine, being about 3 inches or so : not short like a Rock
Sandpiper, not long like one of the Yellowlegs but more in proportion
like a Pacific Golden Plover or Eskimo Curlew. The leg color was
either buffy or grayish-buffy. It would stay in one place for awhile
but was "nervous-acting" with lots of flits and change of head
direction.

We observed this bird for 15 to 20 minutes from a distance of 30 to
40 feet with binoculars about 2:30 PM in bright sunshine. We both
know Meadowlarks very well and thought that's what it was at first
glance but then immediately the long curving beak caught our eye.

This bird was observed on the northeast side of the Marina [at the
south end of town near Damon Point] at Ocean Shores in the top of a 6
foot scotchbroom, then flew onto the ground for a few minutes and
then flew back up towards the top of another shrub about 10 feet high
all right by the water. We parked at the Ocean Shores Environmental
Interpretive Center near the Marina and walked along the northern
side of the marina when we spotted the bird. It flew towards the
water and landed in the scotchbroom near the openness of Gray's
Harbor right along the shore. There is a dirt path that allows one to
walk to the water's edge there at the northeast corner of the marina
and we observed the bird there before it flew off to the other side
of the marina. We followed on foot but could not relocate the bird
again.

We have looked through some bird books of other countries but have
yet to ID the bird. If anyone knows what this might be or wishes to
ask us questions you can call me , Steve Dahmus at 206-383-2676 or
email me at stvdahmus at earthlink.net. I prefer to be phoned. It would
be great if others could also find this bird there as well to assist
in it's ID.

Steve Dahmus and Alan Mondryzk
stvdahmus at earthlink.net
Seattle, WA USA
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