RETURN OF THE GODWIT

Thanks to satelite Tracking, we now know that Godwits fly the 12,000 ( twelve thousand km journey from Alsaka to NZ without ever stopping \**?! - they dont even glide - they flap their wings the whole journey and average 8km per hour. They make the journey in 6-8 days and thanks to the transmitters
(attached to the birds) we know that this is the longest non-stop bird flight.

The Godwits stuff themselves with food before leaving, not stopping to eat. They travel in groups of 5-25 slip-streaming each other throughout the flight.

Andrew Crossland ( City bird man ) said of the 70 birds caught and tagged more than 60 came back the following year. About 50 of them are still returning here three years later.

On march 17 2007, the godwit known as E7 became the first Godwit to have her total annual migration monitored by Satellite. She left the top of the North Is. of NZ and made her way to Alaska, then 4 months Later she made her return flight in 8 days completing the round trip - a total of 27,000 km.
She attracted world wide attention and people monitored her progress.
when touching down again in NZ - unlike Jean Battens famous solo flight from england to New Zealand - E7 eluded photograophers and reporters by landing in the dead of night.

I for one believe in the legionary status of this remarkable little bird !
Christchurch has embrased them and as mentioned previously the bells of the Cathedral are rung signalling their return. Hail
LIMOSA LAPPONICA
rgds pooba