Hudsonian Godwit, Warrington Peninsula, Otago

[Michael Szabo]

Check out the cool photos of Hudsonian Godwit in this checklist posted today by Bradley Shields:
https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S121814561

[Oscar Thomas]

Presumably the same bird now in breeding plumage was the sole godwit at Kaikorai Estuary this morning after being reported on eBird a week or so ago, showing well with the pied stilts.

[Oscar Thomas]

The breeding plumage Hudsonian godwit was back at Aramoana Saltmarsh yesterday associating with Bar-tailed godwits - where it was first seen in June last year.

[bradley_birdsnz]

Hudsonian Godwit seen well today at Aramoana Saltmarsh.

ebird list and photos here:
https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S134245386

I also did a facebook post for the new Birds Otago page collating images of this cool bird showing the change in plumage from non-breeding to breeding from November 2022 to April 2023. link for this is below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/birdsot ... 810722873/

Cheers, Bradley.

[andrewcrossland]

Great idea!

[Oscar Thomas]

Almost certainly the same bird refound today 20km north of Aramoana at Pleasant River Estuary in with 30 Bar-tailed godwits. Still looking very smart, I am surprised it hasn't left the country. This is the fourth site and 11th month it has been present around Otago.

[Oscar Thomas]

The Hudsonian godwit is back at Warrington with around 580 bar-tailed godwits. Not as noteworthy to most, but we seem to have had an influx of little black shags into the Otago region. In four years of living here I hadn’t seen one until the other day there were four in the Leith stream. Single records from Kaikorai Estuary and Warrington pond as well.

[Richard Schofield]

A LB Shag was by the Portobello road yesterday afternoon, as well as 2 in Invercargill in the morning. Also one seen at Deer Flat in the Eglinton Valley last week.

[wazzagonewild]

Hudsonian godwit was present with ~590 bar-tailed godwits and two red knot at high tide yesterday afternoon.