Monday 24 August 2015

Bar-tailed Godwit

When I heard of a report of a Bar-tailed Godwit at Boundary Bay this afternoon, I raced down there as fast as I could to try my luck at it. The tide was out fairly far at 88th street, so I took off my shoes and began to traipse out across the mud. Ironically, another birder had the same idea I had and we ran into each way out on the flats. To our delight, the godwit was right where we ran into each other with a large group of Black-bellied Plovers! I tried to get some shots off but something spooked the flock and they took off south down the shoreline. I split up from the birder and walked along the edge of the mud in search of more birds, or another encounter with the godwit. There were thousands of shorebirds on the mud feeding busily including huge amounts of Western Sandpipers, surprising numbers of Sanderling ( 70+ ), and a peppering of Pectoral and Baird's Sandpipers. Short-billed Dowitchers were dotted sporadically throughout the predominantly Black-billed Plover flocks as well as a lone juvenile Red Knot. Around an hour and a half after I saw the godwit the first time, I came upon it foraging on the perimeter of a shorebird flock, elegant as can be. I slowly crept toward it in a soft walking/kneeing style, taking a few shots every few feet. Amazingly, the bird didn't seem to have a care about my presence, continuingly picking at the mud. Even when all of the Black-bellies took off around it, the godwit watched them and then resumed feeding. I sat down when I realized how close I was, and I didn't want to disturb it, just in case it fancied to flush. In my cross-legged, camera-on-lap position, I got some images I am proud of.

Bar-tailed Godwit


BARG

Here's a view looking from where I was near the godwit back to shore.



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