Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit

[Joel Beyer <twobirders at juno dot com>]

This morning, Saturday April 20, we found a male Hudsonian Godwit at
Farmington Bay WMA.  It was seen from atop the large hill at the north
end of the west dike road (where the gate is now closed for the season),
looking due west.  It was foraging along the shore with several Marbled
Godwits, a Long-billed Curlew, and many Willets.  We watched it for over
an hour before it was flushed north with the other waders by a noisy
plane.  Also, a male Blue-winged Teal was in the small pond behind the
maintenance shed compound.
There was a large group of peeps at mile marker 3 on the Antelope Island
Causeway, including a couple dozen Sanderlings, three Western Sandpipers,
and a Dunlin.  The Dunlin was changing into breeding plumage, showing a
partial black patch on the breast and some rustiness on the back.  A
Bonaparte's Gull and a Black-bellied Plover were also seen along the
Causeway.

Joel and Kathy Beyer