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Feb / Mar Greatest Event on the bar-tailed godwit calendar in NZ (1 Viewer)

kotitihaere

New member
In Feb / March is the greatest event on the Kuaka (bar-tailed godwit) calendar when they gather in the Parengarenga Harbour, the most northern harbour of NZ before their non stop flight back to Beringia, Alaska, taking them about 8 days.

Because I live in the area I have seen them depart (and arrive) a quite a few times and it is spectacular!

They gather from all over NZ in the Parengarenga harbour for their final fuel stop. When the lead birds (probably not the correct term but someone can correct me) decide it is time to depart they start by flying in small circles and the other birds start to join inside the circle which gets wider and wider until all are in the air.

It has been estimated between 50,000 - 70,000 birds leave at once! The sounds of that many wings and birds calling at once can be deafening and it is so spectacular to watch! I always just stand in awe when I am privileged enough to witness the start of the longest non stop migration journey on the planet!

Suddenly the lead birds head off and they all follow - we watch them departing and as they disappear in the distance and their sounds fade, it is replaced once again with the sounds of the harbour and all is back to normal.

About 6 months later of course they return, not looking at all like they did when they depart. From the Parengarenga harbour, their first pit stop, they refuel then head off to other parts of NZ to spend their time before they gather again to depart.

Of course to see this amazing event means you would need to be flexible with dates as they leave when they leave.

Hmm, I wonder if any birder has ever raced the kuaka (Maori name for bar-tailed godwit) from Parengarenga to Beringia or visa versa? Could a human make that distance in that time (with meals of course)? :flyaway:

Imagine seeing them depart then seeing them arrive at their destination a few days later looking very different! Wow!

Maybe one day I will be able to make the same journey at the same time that the kuaka does :t:
 
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