Bar-tailed Godwit - Chasing a Rarity

by Meg Rousher

Title

Bar-tailed Godwit - Chasing a Rarity

Artist

Meg Rousher

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Photograph - Photography By Meg Rousher

Description

Bar-tailed Godwit ~ Chasing a Rarity

A friend and I took a chance and made the 100 mile round trip drive to see this bird. We arrived at the beach just after 7am where we ran into John also looking for the bird. It was low tide so we decided to save some time and cut through a lagoon (waist deep) on our way north to the reported location. We encountered a small shark about half way across the lagoon but by then we were committed either way so we continued on. We walked about a mile and a half up the beach when John spotted the godwit with other shorebirds. We enjoyed the bird for a while even getting in the lagoon to take our pictures in better light (no sharks this time). Several birders joined us as the bird relaxed on the beach. On our return trip we decided to take the long (dry) way back to the car.

There are three sub-species of Bar-tailed Godwit and this one, (L. l. menzbieri) breeds in Siberia and winters in southeastern Asia and Austrailia. It is typical for a godwit to fly 6 to 7,000 miles non stop this time of year in as little as 8 to 9 days.I guess this one chose the shorter option traveling 5,000 miles to Florida instead.

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September 30th, 2019

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Viewed 483 Times  -  Last Visitor from Cambridge, MA on 04/25/2024 at 2:16 AM

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