Today I visited the Nature Conservancy's Port Susan Bay Preserve. The bird of the day was a juvenile HUDSONIAN GODWIT. I viewed the bird at close range for perhaps 20 minutes before it flew into the distance. I did not see the bird again for the remaining 2 hours I was there. Images of the HUGO may be viewed in my new images gallery at the link below.
http://www.pbase.com/marvbreece/new_images_of_washington_birds

With all the shorebird activity today, I didn't give the large number of ducks their due attention. The birds I managed to note are:

American Bittern - 2 birds outside the dike
Peregrine Falcon - 1 juvenile made one pass and came up empty
Virginia Rail - 1 seen in the open
Sora - heard only
Semipalmated Plover - 1
Killdeer - a handful
Short-billed Dowitcher - several juveniles
Long-billed Dowitcher - juveniles as well as adults in basic plumage
Hudsonian Godwit - 1 juvenile
Greater Yellowlegs - several
Lesser Yellowlegs - several
Semipalmated Sandpiper - at least one bird; very short, thick, stubby bill
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper - 2 juveniles
Pectoral Sandpiper - 2

The Port Susan Bay Perserve is open to visitors by prior permission only. For access information, please visit the web site below:
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/preserves/art6837.html

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
mbreece at earthlink.net