I needed to check on the birds at Shoal and do a shorebird count today. Within a short time I had spotted the bar-tailed godwit with the Chinese leg flag. This godwit has stayed since its arrival moving between Shoal and Ngataringa estuaries.
Surely if there was an Olympic event for shorebirds this species would win Gold for their epic flight in September of around 11,500 kms none stop to New Zealand from Alaska and soon in March a 10,000 km flight to China on route to Alaska for the breeding season.
Update Two days later on Saturday 12th.
A fortunate chance to get closer to the flock I was able to get this photo and confirm that this is indeed the same godwit that stayed with the Shoal /Ngataringa flock the previous season too.
This godwit had flags attached at Yalu Jiang in April 2020
