Hudsonian Godwits Times Five - 27 Oct 2026

I saw a post from Bobby Irwin that 7 Hudsonian Godwits and 1 Long-billed Dowitcher were seen at Lake Erie Metropark this morning. It was mid-afternoon but I decided to go look for them. Another mild day w/ overcast skies and temps pushing 70ºF made it a nice day for a chase. 

I arrived at 3 pm and parked by the Wave Pool and walked to the Service Road to the west. A scope of the marsh to the south (and north) failed to produce any shorebirds. I decided to walk to the bridge to scope back to the north in case they were hiding, so I walked the road toward Cove Point. Stopping at the marsh to the west I saw 4 Greater Yellowlegs at full power but nothing else. 

Back at the bridge I scoped the marsh to the north but only saw a single Wilson's Snipe and a dozen Killdeer that flew in from the north. Scoping south of the bridge the usual ducks were hanging around: Mallard, Green-winged Teal, and Canada Geese and only a single Pectoral Sandpiper. 

I then walked down to the small bridge over the bike path but saw only more Mallard.

Returning to the bridge I made one last scope northward and finally saw a pair of Hudsonian Godwit at the edge of the mudflats south of the Service Road bridge. They were foraging among the Killdeer, a Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs. As I scanned the mudflats I spotted 3 more Hudsonian Godwits nearby.

I was too far to get photos so I started walking back toward the Service Road bridge to see if I could get photos from there, but then spotted a break in the woods that gave a view of the marsh from the west. Hiking through the grass I was able to get to the shoreline and view the marsh and the shorebirds along the east shoreline. Much better viewing, and photography!

The famed two-headed godwit!

A Lesser Yellowlegs sleeping next to the pair of Hudsonian Godwits.

I've noticed this summer that godwits in general have a hard time with leeches...

But they do make nice posers!

While viewing the shorebirds a flock of nine Sandhill Cranes flew overhead from the east. They announced their presence with authority (and voice)!

Back to the godwits!

It was getting late for dinner so I packed up and headed back to the car. The view from the Service Road bridge was good, but my location farther south was preferred. I'll remember it next time rare shorebirds are reported here.

Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 27, 2026 3:02 PM - 4:18 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.718 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, mild, 60F. Looking for LBDO and HUGO reported earlier today.
17 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  24
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  36
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  24
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  9
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  12
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)  5     Continuing from 7 reported this morning. Pics.
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  2
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  5
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  80
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  24
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)  12

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S405905333

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)