Sunday (10/14) I went to the marsh shortly before sunset.? The water was quite high, which brought in many ducks including?mallards, northern shovelers, and a flock of American wigeons.?? The American wigeons frustrate me, as they usually hang out at the far south side of the marsh.??It takes high water to bring them closer to the north side where the walkways and?viewing platforms are located.

I?dragged out?the?heavy artillary,?my?super telephoto combo package?of the Canon 7D +? really big honkin' 2.8/400L telephoto lens+ 1.4 extender (all mounted on a heavy duty tripod which is a pain to carry around) to photograph the ducks and a lone shorebird that I could not identify.?? As I was setting up the camera, a flock of about 35 dowitchers flew in.? According to Mr. Sibley, the white streak going up their rumps and backs?is?unique to dowitchers.? I don't know if? they were of the long-billed or short- billed variety.

After taking shots of the dowitchers, I "focused" on the mystery shore bird.? It remained somewhat?oblivious to the surrounding dowitchers and did not fly?around with them when the flock was startled by a train whistle. My initial guess was that it was a willet or a yellowlegs.? While the body shape and head size suggested a willet, it did have yellow legs, so I?am going with?yellowlegs.? I think it?was a lesser yellowlegs based on the indistinct gray markings on its breast.?
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Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA. USA?