Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Hudsonian Godwit
Scientific name:	Limosa haemastica
Date:	26January2025
Time:	4:24pm
Length of time observed:	10 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Juvenile (?)
Sex:	Unknown
Location:	Location: Sugarhouse Park, Salt Lake City, Utah
County:	Salt Lake County
Latilong:	40.7224467°N, -111.8479901°W
Elevation:	4,419 feet
Distance to bird:	Around 50'-70'
Optical equipment:	Cell phone camera
Weather:	Patchy sun and cold
Light Conditions:	Partly cloudy
Description: Size of bird:	Larger
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Wading sandpiper
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Subtle dark gray back, light gray nape and shoulders, white belly and undertail
(Description:) Bill Type:	long and upturned
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I unfortunately did not have any optics with me other than my cell phone camera so my field marks are based on the photos I took and my memory. Bird was a larger sandpiper, with longish neck, short tail, thin, long bill, and subtle gray coloration. Bill was quite long and upcurved with a lighter portion at the base. Eye was dark and in a lightly-colored head with a possible dark spot on the crown and a bit of a lighter-colored line back from the eye. Light gray coloration continued down the nape and back and came down onto the "shoulders". Wings, lower back, and rump were quite dark gray and appeared uniform but I cannot swear to that. Breast and belly were a very light gray/almost white in contrast to the neck and nape. However, the undertail coverts were a very bright white. Wings were crossed above the tail with two distinct points of primaries and tail. Wings were not seen unfolded so no rump coloration was seen. Legs were dark and long. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	N/A; did not hear any vocalization
Behavior:	Wading back and forth around the shallow waters of Sugarhouse Park pond, foraging with its long bill under the surface.
Habitat:	Seen in the shallow manmade pond in Sugarhouse Park
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Bar-Tailed Godwit - "My" bird is very similar to the Bar-Tailed and actually might be the correct ID for the bird in question. Eliminated because only four seen in Utah, also the bill might be slightly shorter. Black-Tailed Godwit - Eliminated because it has never been seen in Utah. However, winter plumage does look quite a bit like "my" bird. Marbled Godwit - "My" bird's back is much darker and wasn't marbled Red Phalarope - "My" bird's bill is quite a bit longer than the Phalarope. American Avocet - This bird lacks the white bars on its back of even the winter plumage Avocet. Common Greenshank - Google image ID swears this is "my" bird but there's just no way due to its range.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	None
References consulted:	Cornell Lab, iBird Pro app, Merlin Bird ID app, Utahbirds.org
Description from:	From memory From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Aric Blitch
Observer's address:	573 East 3635 South
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Alycia Parnell (Alycia.Parnell@gmail.com
Date prepared:	28January2025
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	I will email my photos after this is submitted.