Wednesday 23 January 2013

Godwit Sighting History

Way back in January 2009 I was fortunate to get close enough to a small group of feeding BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa) at Farlington Marshes and managed a few reasonable digi-scoped images including one colour ringed individual.

I remember sending in a report of this sighting to the appropriate 'recorder' and received an acknowledgement and a promise to learn more about its history .... but was only told that it was ringed as a juvenile male at Farlington Marshes in September 2008. I was therefore somewhat surprised to receive an e-mail today .... some 3 years later .... which provided an updated history of this individuals' sightings up to the end of last year

Ringed   10 Sept  2008    Farlington Marshes LNR, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England
18 Nov 2008     Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England
19 Nov 2008     Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England
17 Jan  2009     Farlington Marshes LNR, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England
12 July to 6 Sept 2010   Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
29 Nov  2010    Langstone Bridge, Hayling Island, Hampshire, S England
15 Dec  2010    Langstone Bridge, Hayling Island, Hampshire, S England
29 Jan   2011    Langstone Bridge, Hayling Island, Hampshire, S England
26 Mar   2011    Maldon, Blackwater Estuary, Essex, E England
25 Apr  2011    Melasveit, Borgarfjarðarsýsla, W Iceland
31 Oct   2011    Motney Hill, Medway Estuary, Kent, SE England
30 Dec   2011    Hayling Bridge, Langstone Harbour, Hayling Island, Hampshire, S England
02 to 11 Feb 2012    Hayling Bridge, Langstone Harbour, Hayling Island, Hampshire, S England
30 Dec   2012    Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, S England
30 Dec   2012    North Wall, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex


Whilst I wasn't surprised to learn that this wader has generally stayed faithful to the area around Langstone Harbour where it fledged, apart from spending some time at Oare Marshes in Kent (Summer 2010), there has been one sighting reported from outside the UK when this bird decided to migrate to Iceland in 2011.

I wonder where it will be seen next? I am looking forward to returning to Farlington Marshes next month on a birding day with a few friends from the Surrey Bird Club.  FAB.

Linking up to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

30 comments:

  1. Great shots of the banded Godwit. It is cool to learn just where it has been seen over the years. Looks like a short appearance in Iceland. Cool!

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  2. Gets around a bit doesn't he Frank. {:)
    I find it quite astonishing where birds travel to and from.

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  3. Thanks Eileen. The Iceland visit was probably for a few months but only reported on one particular date until it returned to UK in early winter.

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  4. He certainly does Roy but always returning home at some point. Without the ringing schemes we wouldn't have a clue of where they end up!

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  5. Thats an old one Frank. Where have you been, hibernating.

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    1. Sure is Mike. Just been taking things easy for a while!

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  6. 3 years later!? wow! that's actually pretty cool, if not quite timely. :)

    nice to see you visit and post today, frank. always nice to hear from you.

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    1. Thanks Teresa ... it's good to be back on-line at last.

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  7. Always good to see you post. Bands can tell some fascinating stories.

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    1. Cheers Red. If only more people would send in reports we might have a better idea of specie movements.

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  8. Great photos and really interesting notes on his movements!

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    1. Thanks for your visit and comment Wally.

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  9. Very interesting post Frank. It must have been fed up with touring the South of England and decided to have a foreign holiday!...[;o)

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    1. Cheers Trevor. I do wonder how many other overseas trips it may have had that went unnoticed!!

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  10. I've been lucky enough to band Bar -Tails - we have satellite tracked them to Alaska! Crazy really.

    Cheers and thanks for the link to WBW.

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Hi Stewart. Thanks for acknowledging my link to WBW. Technology has definitely increased our knowledge of avian movements.

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  11. Lovely Godwit Frank, 2009 must have been quite a year.

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    1. Thanks Bob. The weather was far more favourable in Jan 2009!

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  12. Fascinating the information we can get from ringed birds Frank.

    Good to see you back.

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    1. Thanks Kieth. It all helps our understanding.

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  13. Hi Frank, I so miss seeing your entries, and hearing from you. Hoping that your family is doing well. The Godwits are really wonderful looking chaps, those cool long legs~

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    1. Hi Mary. Yes, I know it's been a while but all is well over here.

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  14. Wonderful to see this little beauty and you did really well with the photographs.

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    1. Carol. Thanks for your visit and kind comment.

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  15. Hi Frank
    Really interesting to see how this Godwit has fared over the years, and great images as well.
    Good to see you back on blogger, and belated Happy New Year.

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    1. Cheers Monty. It would be good to get that close again sometime.

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  16. Great images and such an interesting narrative!

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    1. Thanks Ken. Very nice to hear from you.

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  17. Hi Frank. That's great that you found out more....eventually! (-: I've posted a blog for the first time in over a year! Am hoping to get back into it! We shall see! Hope all is well with you. J

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    1. Hi Jen. Yeah .. I never expected that a response would arrive this far down the line! Best wishes for 2013.

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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