KUAKA'S EGG

In Maori folk-lore - when something was lost they would say " Its as hard to find as a Kuaka's egg" It transpired the reason for this was because the 'Kuaka' or the Bartailed Godwit - didnt breed in NZ !

I said I would get back to you with the story of E7 and here it is.

Some xperts said at the outbreak of H5N1 bird influenza in Asia in 2004 that the possibility of the virus being transmitted by the Godwits might be possible.
The US (USGS) & another (PRBO) established a partnership with Massey University (NZ) - they needed to establish the godwits flightpath.

Although the catylist was the flu Virus - questions like how they prepare for migration, how they know when to leave, how they navigate, how do juveniles at only a few months old find their way across the pacific with adult help. important questions in a declining population across the worlds "flyways".

the long and short of this project was that E7 was attached with a solar transmitor in NZ. After having flown from NZ to Alaska - raising 4 chicks - she returned to NZ - nonstop (no food or drink) for a total of 11,700k.
she travelled a total of 30,000 in less than nine months as well as raise a family.

E7 said " whats all the excitement??" I do it every year.

Much more could be written but not in this short diary - for anyone interested a couple of links regarding migratory birds are:
www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz
East Asian-Australasian Flyway www.eaaflyway.net

E7 flew from Miranda to Alaska and returned to MIranda in Auckland.
The numbers of Godwits migrating are declining - Very much due to ( so called) human " progress " along the flyways - eg the destruction of 400 sq kilometres of top wading bird habitat just south of Seoul.

The Godwits will start returning to NZ soon once again - here is a pic of some Juveniles who have wintered over in Christchurch - to young to breed - they may find a mate this year. ??
rgds pooba.