bartailed godwits alaska to nz (1 Viewer)

[nzflutes]

Well these amazing birds arrived here in Christchurch New Zealand a week or so ago...they fly here apparently non stop from Alaska...losing around 2/3 of body weight...they totter around on the estuary for a bit, have a snooze for an hour or two..and then 'tuck' in..!!

this year they rang out the bells of the Cathedral when the first birds touched down..and a small plane flew overhead saying..."The godwits have arrived..Spring is here"

What a good welcome..!!

Anyone up North see them leaving..like the Yukon River Delta..

Cheers

Caroline

 

[very boring banned member]

They don't breed over there, do they?

 

[nzflutes]

They don't breed over there, do they?

Down here....no..they breed in Alaska, Siberia..and up your way..they for some reason fly all the way down here and feed up...and then leave again in March..have been doing it for hundreds of years....I am obsessed now...when they were on their way from Alaska..flying 14.ooo kms to here non stop..i would sometimes be so inspired by this,,,I would think that for all the shit going on in Iraq and all over...these birds just do what they are supposed to do according to their plan..regardless of what a mess the humans are making of their world...and I am SOLD.on them..!!!!
think I shall hire a video camera and go and do some shots later b4 they leave again...
There are a few different groups of the bartailed godwits..some leave Siberia and stop over in Asia..but it is believed that the ones that come here and to North Aust...come from the Yukon Delta up on the North Wst coast of Alaska..and fly without any stopover..

they are totally stuffed when they arrive here and wobble around for an hour or two..!!

Karwin..I would think that there might be some near you...

Caroline..

I shall have to get out my map and check where Finland is again..

CC

 

[very boring banned member]

Down here....no..they breed in Alaska, Siberia..and up your way..they for some reason fly all the way down here and feed up...and then leave again in March..

I just started to wonder about this wonder, that Limosas stay summer in Siberia & Alaska, where they breed, and then they leave - and spend a summer in New Zealand. Why don't they breed in both ends, or other way round..?

i would sometimes be so inspired by this,,,I would think that for all the shit going on in Iraq and all over...these birds just do what they are supposed to do according to their plan..

That really casts a light on future - there's still hope

Karwin..I would think that there might be some near you...

I live in a forest. These days only some Bonasas, Gavias, Bombycillas etc common ones around. There are some little flocks of Limosa lapponica on the coast. I guess our British friends now enjoy their masses?

I shall have to get out my map and check where Finland is again..

It is a forested patch between Siberia & Northpole

 

[nzflutes]

I just started to wonder about this wonder, that Limosas stay summer in Siberia & Alaska, where they breed, and then they leave - and spend a summer in New Zealand. Why don't they breed in both ends, or other way round..?



That really casts a light on future - there's still hope



I live in a forest. These days only some Bonasas, Gavias, Bombycillas etc common ones around. There are some little flocks of Limosa lapponica on the coast. I guess our British friends now enjoy their masses?



It is a forested patch between Siberia & Northpole

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...goodnight cc

 

[very boring banned member]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...goodnight cc

G'day!

 

[Edward]

Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in? ;-)

Migration is really one of the most exciting things in the bird world, especially such long-distance journey. I had always assumed that the wintering Bar-tailed Godwits in Australia and NZ would have come down via Siberia, Japan, Philippines, PNG etc. rather than fly straight across the Pacific, a massive crossing for a bird which can't land on the water, but you live and learn.

look forward to hearing more news from NZ, Caroline

E

Iceland (a volcanic rock in the North Atlantic with a few overwintering Bar-tailed Godwits)

 

[very boring banned member]

Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in?

Sorry, this is private; accessed only for the 15 329 members of the club

 

[nzflutes]

Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in? ;-)

Migration is really one of the most exciting things in the bird world, especially such long-distance journey. I had always assumed that the wintering Bar-tailed Godwits in Australia and NZ would have come down via Siberia, Japan, Philippines, PNG etc. rather than fly straight across the Pacific, a massive crossing for a bird which can't land on the water, but you live and learn.

look forward to hearing more news from NZ, Caroline

E

Iceland (a volcanic rock in the North Atlantic with a few overwintering Bar-tailed Godwits)

Hello Edward..

Yes it is amazing...there will hopefully be people with more knowledge than me may join in .. but from what I gather the experts believe that the birds that arrive here fly straight..there has been no sign of 'drop off' from the Alaskan birds..where it would be expected if they stopped off..
they apparently wait until there is a strong hind wind b4 taking off and get good assistance for the first 1000 ks..or so...clever eh..!

:clap:


and obviouslu quite a few have been tagged..so they can follow them...well ..gtg and do the gardening and help protect the blackbirds which are 'EVERYWHERE around here..few cats and Heaps of trees :bounce:


See you dude.....

Caroline...where are you?

 

[nzflutes]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...goodnight cc

G'day Karwin..

How is the forest?
I had to look up Limosa!! Live and learn eh!

Caroline

 

[very boring banned member]

How is the forest?

Rainy today. News in here and the most abundant animal described here.