On 23 August 1978, Tom Lund found a lone gray-backed godwit (Limosa sp.), which he tentatively identified as a Hudsonian Godwit (L. haemastica), near the ponds at the base of the South Jetty of the Columbia River, Clatsop County, Oregon. However, he was unable to observe the coloration of the underwings and the extent of the white stripe on the upper wing surfaces—both features required to distinguish the Hudsonian Godwit from the similar Black-tailed Godwit(L. limosa) of Palaearctic distribution. Lund described the bird as being in full basic plumage, with a plain gray back (pers. comm.). Tad Finnell and Brian Egger obtained brief views of what appeared to be the same bird on 24 August, but they too were unable to note the critical field marks. The bird could not be located after that date.