Subject: [Tweeters] Bar-tailed Godwit at Tokeland 7-19-07
Date: Jul 20 07:54:01 2007
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Birders,

Yesterday evening(July 19th)we located ad photographed a BAR-TAILED GODWIT roosting with other large shorebirds at the Tokeland Marina,Pacific Co.(in Washington State). The bird was observed between 5:45pm-8pm after high tide,where it rested and intermingled with several Marbled Godwits and many Whimbrel on the large inside portion of the jetty at the Tokeland Marina. At first the bird was very hard to detect since it had it's head tucked and was in amongst vegetation on the jetty,but once it moved into better view it was very evident as it's distinct plumage separated it from the other shorebirds. The bird appeared to be an adult female and overall appeared rather brown with darkest areas on the back and crown contrasting with white undertail coverts and belly that extended up to the somewhat grayish-brown neck. The bird showed some visible,but faint barring on the upper breast that extended down the sides. When the bird did pull it's bill out on just a few occasions it was very obvious bicolored pinkish-black,whereas the nearby Marbled Godwits bill's were bicolored and distinctively more orange and black. The Bar-tailed Godwit also showed a very distinctive and striking white supercillium below the darkish crown that extended well beyond the eyes,which is diagnostic of the species. It was an exciting bird to see and watch and more challenging to photograph due to the distance and since the bird seemed the most tired bird in the group of shorebirds. On one occasion the Bar-tailed Godwit lifted up and flew around the marina area before landing back again on the jetty in a more concentrated gathering. During this time we were able to obtain a few photographs of the bird in flight clearly showing the distinctive white rump. Although we have seen many Bar-tailed Godwits in Washington State it was still a great and special bird to see since it remains a specialty species for many birders!

We have placed 4 photos of the Bar-tailed Godwit on our website along with several other recent sightings,which can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.pbase.com/godwit/recent_photos/

The list of other shorebirds on the jetty at the Tokeland Marina included the following:

1 Greater Yellowlegs
8 Willets
1 juvenile Spotted Sandpiper
62 Whimbrel
25 Marbled Godwits
6 Western Sandpipers
10 Least Sandpipers
140+ Short-billed Dowitchers
15+ Long-billed Dowitchers

While at the Tokeland Marina yesterday evening our main efforts were made for small population of Purple Martins there. We returned to relocate the 2 nesting boxes that we originally obstructed on the 13th of July. With the aid of a tall ladder and some effort we were able to place the nesting boxes higher on the poles since they were placed too low previously due to the tide level. We realized just how low the nest boxes were the previous day,so we had to return yesterday and al in all it was trial and error since this was our first time working with Purple Martins. With the added height of the tide it was easy to place the nesting boxes higher on the poles and during the chore we saw no Purple Martins until a short time afterwards. We first observed 3 Purple Martins including an adult male,then while watching the Bar-tailed Godwit we observed 6 birds that flew around the nesting boxes including one bird that went in and investigated the nesting box. It was great to see the birds return after they were most likely out foraging and we do know they are quite difficult to monitor since they cover so much territory.

Earlier in the day we visited Bottle Beach during the incoming tide between 2pm-4pm,where condition were nice,but quite windy. Here, we encountered fewer numbers and species of shorebirds than the previous day,but still a good showing. Most evident were still large numbers of Western Sandpipers,which appeared very tired overall rather than doing more feeding like the previous day. We estimated 5,000+ adult Western Sandpipers,as they occasionally gathered in tight roosting groups along the shoreline too. The main shorebird highlight during our visit were 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES that added alot of color to the beach and were our personal firsts of the season. By 3:45pm all the remaining shorebirds lifted and flew off towards Westport and to offshore islands in North Bay.

Lastly, the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD a Grayland was again present perched high atop an evergreen tree immediately south of the Beachcomber Market and Deli along the west side of S.R.105.