Need help with brown/rufous shorebirds flocked with American Avocet, CA 94303 (1 Viewer)

[Yh000]

Hello,
These pictures were taken this morning, Baylands natural reserve CA 94303.
I couldn't figure out what the brown birds are - pretty sure the black&white ones are American Avocet.
Sorry I can't get a clearer picture - thanks in advance!

 

[Bewick]

Marbled godwit

 

[Yh000]

Marbled godwit

Thanks! would short-billed dowitcher also be possible?

 

[Bewick]

Thanks! would short-billed dowitcher also be possible?

No not really: size, tail colour/patterning and also wing patterning is completely wrong for either of the dowitchers. Dowitchers also have a stretch of white that begins from back and ends at the start of the tail.

The size difference is the main factor though, dowitchers are small waders in comparison to godwits or avocets.

Edit- There seems to be some dowitcher sp's flying close to the water in image_2467.

 

[rkj]

As Bewick adds in his or her edit, there are some dowitchers, smaller, duller brown birds, in the second photo lower down near the middle of the flying birds. Impossible to identify from this photo, but Long-billed Dowitchers are generally more common at the site. There are also some American Coots swimming in both photos, and I think a couple Black-necked Stilts at the left edge of the first photo.

 

[rkj]

Let me add that it is best to spell out the state name. I know that CA is California, and even that 94303 is Palo Alto, but this is an international forum and CA may mean an entirely different location to some.