Hello Tweeters,

I spent my day off today birding Discovery Park. While there was a bit of rain, I did not that deter me, and managed to snag 6 life birds on the day!

The day started off slow with a lot of towhees, Song Sparrows, and Wilson's Warblers, but picked up when I got to the South Beach and got my first lifer of the day, a pair of Caspian Terns. I made my way to the lighthouse, where I was shocked to find the best bird of the day (though not a lifer), a Marbled Godwit, hanging out by himself on the beach!! I did a double take at first, then consulted Sibley to make sure I wasn't fooling myself. Nope- buffy all over, long bill, slightly upturned, black at the tip. A much better look than from the main drive on Sanibel Island in FL, where I first saw one. Also off the lighthouse beach I picked up my life Marbled Murrelets, a pair of them in breeding plumage within binocular distance. I made my way along the beach up to North Bluff, where I added Black-throated Gray Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Cassin's Vireo to my life list in a very short time. Worked my way back to the Visitor's Center spotting lots more Wilson's al!
ong the way, along with occasional Orange-crowned Warblers. I was about to call it a day when I heard some skulking in the bushes near the parking lot and found, to my surprise, my sixth lifer of the day- a MacGillivray's Warbler, with nice bright white eye-arcs.

All in all, a wonderful way to spend a morning. Hope others got the chance to see the Godwit- I don't imagine they're seen in Seattle too often.

Happy Birding!
Jeremiah