Willis Wharf, Wed., Dec. 31, 2003. Jared Sparks and I stopped here c. 10-
11 A.M. on a beautiful, clear day with north winds c. 5 m.p.h., temps in
the 40s and saw 202 Marbled Godwits on the flats in front of the Post
Office. I counted them 7 times and each time got different totals as the
tide came in as well as more birds. We also saw here 167 Willets, 7
Greater Yellowlegs, 12 Dunlin, 6 Short-billed Dowitchers, 2 Semipalmated
Plovers, 55 turnstones, 17 Hooded Mergansers, 20 Buffleheads, 2 great
blues, a red-tail, a Bald Eagle, and a kettle of 28 Black Vultures with 2
TVs. Jared talked with waterman Tucker Terry, who gave Jared a sack of
clams and pointed out the eagle nest visible from the docks. I believe the
record Virginia Marbled Godwit count is 220 seen here in May 2002 by Calvin
Brennan when he was working for C.V.W.O. that spring.-Harry Armistead, 523
E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA 1919-1225. 215-248-4120. harryarmistead
at hotmail dot com.
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