Tweeters,

Leora and I spent an hour today with 136 Godwits at the Westport
Marina. One hundred and thirty five were of the Marbled variety and
one was not. It had bright white upper tail coverts which eliminates
Bar-tail. That leaves Hudsonian and Black-tailed. It also had a
straight bill.
As far as I can tell there has never been a west coast Black-tailed
Godwit sighting, so it is probably a straight billed juvenile Hudsonian.

But it sure looks like some pictures on the internet of juvenile
Black-tailed. The Westport bird looks very much like this.
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/wormwell/Black-tailed%20Godwit4.htm
There is nothing either of us would change.

No I don't have a picture but I'll bet these godwits are back on the
breakwater rocks tomorrow around high tide. From the Westport main
drag take E. Wilson Ave. to its end at the most southern boat dock.
Walk out to the end of Float 21, look 100 yards across the water to the
jetty that closes off most of the harbor. There they were. Even if
it's just a Hudsonian thats a pretty good bird for this part of North
America and if you can get a good picture you will be a hero.

There is a noon high tide tomorrow. We were watching them four hours
after high tide today.

Larry and Leora Schwitters
Issaquah
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