A Godwits Travels

 

There was a time when visits to the Breech Pool at Pagham Harbour would enable me to indulge in a favourite pastime of photographing ringed Black-tailed Godwits. Sadly the water levels in the pool are no longer managed, or at least are not managed in the interests of birds, and sightings of waders on the pool are now rare. Even if the Godwits are there, they are in deep water and the rings are not visible.

It was interesting then, a few weeks ago, to pick up a Godwit out in the harbour with rings on display. The picture is a huge crop but it is still possible to make out the colours.

Black-tailed Godwit

I sent these off to Pete Potts who is my go to authority on Godwits on the South Coast. I always get a history of the birds activities within a few days but this one was a bit longer than usual.

From the dates the bird is at least eight years old but is probably more than ten. It would have stayed in Africa after its first migration returning to England as a two year old. So probably at least two when it was ringed in 2012. They can live to twenty years of age but ten is probably a good age given high mortality rates in their early years and the risk of migrating through France in the hunting season.

29-Sep-12       Harty, The Swale, Kent, SE England
08-Jul-13         Pilning Reserve, Seven Beach, south Gloucestshire
09-Jul-13         Pilning Reserve, Seven Beach, south Gloucestshire
24-Jul-13         Lymington-Keyhaven NNR, NW Solent, Hampshire
25-Jul-13         Lymington-Keyhaven NNR, NW Solent, Hampshire
15-Aug-13       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
26-Aug-13       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
29-Aug-13       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
30-Aug-13       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
24-Mar-14       Fishbourne, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, S England
13-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
18-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
25-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
28-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
29-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
30-Aug-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
01-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
04-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
10-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
16-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
24-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
28-Sep-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
26-Oct-14        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
28-Oct-14        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
05-Nov-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
07-Nov-14       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England

19-Jul-15        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
28-Jul-15        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
29-Jul-15        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
30-Jul-15        Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
04-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
07-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
08-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
10-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
15-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
17-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
21-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
30-Aug-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
05-Sep-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
18-Sep-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
30-Sep-15      Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
08-Oct-15       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
10-Oct-15       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
17-Oct-15       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
18-Oct-15       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
15-Nov-15      Conyer, Swale Estuary, Kent, SE England
18-Nov-15      Conyer, Swale Estuary, Kent, SE England

28-Jan-16       Avon, Avon Valley, Hampshire, S England
07-Feb-16       Avon, north Sopley, south of Ringwood, Hampshire
16-Feb-16       Avon, Avon Valley, Hampshire, S England
22-Mar-16       Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England
25-Aug-16       Titchfield Haven NNR, Fareham, Hampshire, S England
07-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
13-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
15-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
17-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
19-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
22-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
23-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
26-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
29-Sep-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
06-Oct-16       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England

24-Mar-17      Slimbridge WWT reserve, Gloucestershire, W England
01-Apr-17      Goldcliff Lagoon, Gwent, S Wales
13-Apr-17      Goldcliff Lagoon, Gwent, S Wales
14-Apr-17      Slimbridge WWT reserve, Gloucestershire, W England
04-Aug-17     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
21-Aug-17     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
10-Sep-17     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England

17-Aug-18     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England

08-Apr-19      Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England
18-Apr-19      Moneycarragh, Dundrum South, County Down, Ireland
05-Jul-19       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
15-Jul-19       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
01-Aug-19     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
10-Nov-19     Portchester Castle, Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire

12-Jul-20       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
27-Jul-20       Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
06-Aug-20     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
09-Aug-20     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
20-Aug-20     Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
22-Mar-21     Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England

A much travelled bird. It seems, based in England for eight or nine months through the summer and missing in December January and February, presumably on migration to Africa. It spends most of the summer based at Oare Marshes and the Swale area but with stopovers at the south coast sites on its inward and outward migration. I assume the sightings in Wales and Ireland are just part of this inward migration.

It would be interesting to know what happened over the winter of 2015/16 when it was recorded on the 18th Nov, 28th Jan, 7th Feb and 16th Feb. Did it migrate during the six week gap or did it stay in this country? Godwits are powerful fliers. Recent satellite tracking data has identified Bar-tailed Godwits as completing journeys from Siberia to New Zealand non stop over the Pacific, a distance of 11,000 miles in just eight days. A trip to Africa and back in the six weeks is clearly possible but why would it bother (or am I thinking like a human instead of like a Godwit?).

I have always had some doubts over the value of ringing birds, particularly with small birds where the recovery rate is so low. For example on studies of migrating House Martins I have seen figures quoted of 20 recoveries out of  1,029,107 birds ringed. I have also seen some really grose flags attached to waders legs that must seriously impact on their movement and comfort. However, when you see data like this you can start to see the value to researchers.

Note - I left off the names of all the individuals that recorded the bird and submitted the data as I am not sure where I stand on data protection. However I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their efforts and to encourage others to join in the fun.