Update - 25 March 2023
I have had word back this afternoon from Dr Jesse Conklin, at Foxton, (the godwit researcher from the Netherlands who is there during March working for Massey) that yesterday he had three coloured male godwits turn up unexpectedly, and one of them had a white flag. He heard them making the migration calls that drew his attention to them. Jesse wrote “Around 4pm today, I was surprised to suddenly find 3 males bathing and calling, after silence all day. I got a quick look, and the group included one fairly red male with a white flag. The group departed before I could get closer for a better look.” The birds migrated at 16:21, 24 March 2023.
Checking again this morning, Jesse found all his other birds present, including the only red male bird still there, who happens to have the white flag engraved with AJN (banded the same day as AJD in October 2008). In Whanganui, we were missing three coloured males yesterday, as of the four there on Thursday night (including AJD), only one was there on Friday at 11 am (not AJD).
Due to next year being a leap year, the annual time clock is three quarters of the way to needing an extra day inserted. Due to this I had calculated that this year AJD would likely migrate on the 24th. He did exactly that. Twice before, at least, he has travelled to Foxton to migrate. Why, we do not know, but we know he has a close association with that estuary, arriving there first from his southern migration from Alaska. This departure yesterday is his 15th migration, that we know of. We wish him a safe journey.
So, we wait for his return later in the year. I usually check for him at Foxton early in October, and then expect him over here in Whanganui in early December. His flag is getting dangerously worn, so we hope it will stay on until his return. If not, he still has the metal band on his lower left leg.
Thanks to all for the tremendous interest you have all taken in AJD, his story is truly captivating.
Update - 8 pm, 24 March 2023
It seems AJD has migrated, he was there last evening, but this morning and this afternoon, we cannot locate him. When we left yesterday, at about 5:30 pm, he was resting alone in the very spot from where we have seen him migrate twice. Interesting. So, we wish him a safe journey to Alaska and look forward to his return to Foxton around 25 September.
Update - 5 pm, 23 March 2023 :
AJD still here tonight (Thursday) at 5 pm, and again showing no signs of migration behaviour. He was way out distant on the mud, it being a very low tide. Great to see people coming to get a last glimpse of him before he leaves. Tomorrow morning we will be at Beach Road by 11 am, and at the Sailing Club at 4 pm. My guess is that tomorrow afternoon he will migrate, as Saturday, the 25th, northwesterly winds are forecast. Nevertheless, AJD will decide on the time, and we will find out if we wait.
Update - 5 pm, 22 March 2023 :
AJD was still here this evening and was showing no signs of migration behaviour. So, next viewing time will be 10 am in the morning, at Beach Road. Tomorrow evening is forecast as fine, with light southerlies, so this will be very tempting to the birds about to migrate. Will AJD decide on the 25th again?
We viewed AJD this morning in the rain, 90 minutes before high tide, and he is looking dapper in his Alaskan breeding suit - see picture below. If bad weather does not interfere, we expect him, and others with him, to migrate later this week. I plan to be at the river each day (at end of Beach Road by river walkway) before high tide, and the times will be:
Wednesday - 9:20 am, Thursday - 10 am, Friday - 11 am, Saturday - 12 noon.
If there has been a lot of rain, we need to go 15 minutes earlier. On each of these days I will also be at the Sailing Club (a little downstream) from around 4 pm, as the birds generally migrate from here late afternoon (around 5 pm). They will not migrate with a strong northwest wind, as they prefer a south or southeast wind.
If anyone wants to contact me, please text or phone me on 021 024 22451. There has been tremendous interest in AJD, especially as his migration time nears.
