willet
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

This fellow looks a little too slender compared to other willets I think I've seen, so I'm not positive about the ID. I'll admit my previous IDs for willets were based on seeing the obvious "black and white flashing wings" when they took flight. What do you think?

godwit, willet, gull ~ 02/05/10 ~ Monterey Municipal Beach

marbled godwit, willet, & gull
Limosa fedoa & Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

We saw a huge flock of shore birds on the beach, a calm one which we normally visit for grunion greeting nights. Once we got closer, it looked like there were 2 kinds of birds chasing the waves and pecking at the sand. The marbled godwits are the tan birds with two-toned beaks and the willets are the grey birds.

willet and killdeer ~ 07/06/09 ~ Elkhorn Slough

We saw this old interpretive sign (I still don't understand the need to graffiti) and tried to keep our eyes out for the California clapper rail, a state endangered and federally endangered subspecies.

possible California clapper rail
possible Rallus longirostris obsoletus

We spotted a bird that looked just like the sign, complete with grass and everything! So we got excited. Unfortunately, we saw a bird take flight from behind the grass and it had the distinctive flashy black and white wing pattern of the willet. We're not sure if it was the same bird or two different birds in the same area.

willet & killdeer
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus & Charadrius vociferus

On our return trip, we were positive about these IDs.