For the first time I actually witnessed five godwits arriving, on the Whanganui River Estuary, after their non-stop journey from Alaska. This was 14 September, 2021. Their wings were drooping, and they were unsteady on their feet. One female tried repeatedly to lift her wings back up (as pictured below), but was unable. After a couple of hours of feeding, they were mostly back to normal. What a wonderful arrival to witness, grateful to have been there at exactly the right time.
