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Farewell Godwits on Christchurch Beach

2007.10.17
Each September, Christchurch celebrates the Bar-tailed Godwits arrival back with the ChristChurch Cathedral’s bells ringing out for 30 minutes when the first birds are seen on the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, to signal their and Spring’s arrival.

We farewell them with a brief but moving ceremony before their departure at 4:45pm, South Shore Spit Reserve, South Brighton.

Photo: Ellen Yule
www.newzealand2ways.com
www.photoblog.com/2ways

a simple farewell to the godwits which spent their time in Christchurch coastline

Maori dance and haka are performed by the local primary school students before the observation and farewell of godwits start.

a safety notice sign on the beach

hundreds Christchurch people attend the farewell event



ten thousands of godwits are going to depart New Zealand for a 11,000km flight back to Alaska

a nice playground for both kids and godwits

kids respect godwits by keeping a distance with them

footprints of godwits








kids love to play swing under tree on the walkway to beach

Each September, Christchurch celebrates the Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) arrival back with the ChristChurch Cathedral’s bells ringing out for 30 minutes when the first birds are seen on the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, to signal their and Spring’s arrival.

Scientists report that the godwits make the longest non-stop flight of all birds – an amazing 11,000 kilometres from Alaska to New Zealand, in only five or six days.

After spending the southern summer in New Zealand, resting and gaining weight, the Bar-tailed Godwits leave in March for the long flight back to the breeding grounds in Alaska. We farewell them with a brief but moving ceremony before their departure at 4:45pm, South Shore Spit Reserve (end of Rocking Horse Road, South Brighton).

These Godwits are tracked as they returned to the breeding grounds via a route which takes them past New Guinea and the Phillippines to a half-way stop in the Yellow Sea of China and Korea. Then comes a second epic flight parallel to the Aleutian islands across the North Pacific and back to the north slope of Alaska.


2WAYS is a Christchurch-based company who specialises in customising New Zealand Study Packages and Tour Packages for Spanish, Catalan and Chinese clients.

Come with 2WAYS - learn English faster and enjoy your holiday more in New Zealand!

Photo: Ellen Yule
www.newzealand2ways.com
www.photoblog.com/2ways
1 Comment
Joshua Henry were studying godwits in Birkdale Intermediate and i learned that they only go here to get fat
Joshua Henry · 2009-11-15: 19:10
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