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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.
Photos: Ellen Yule
2Ways Company Limited - New Zealand Tailored Study and Tour Solutions
www.2ways-world.com
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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.
Photos: Ellen Yule
2Ways Company Limited - New Zealand Tailored Study and Tour Solutions
www.2ways-world.com
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a simple farewell to the godwits which spent their time in Christchurch coastline
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a simple farewell to the godwits which spent their time in Christchurch coastline
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Maori dance and haka are performed by the local primary school students before the observation and farewell of godwits start.
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Maori dance and haka are performed by the local primary school students before the observation and farewell of godwits start.
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a safety notice sign on the beach
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a safety notice sign on the beach
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hundreds Christchurch people attend the farewell event
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hundreds Christchurch people attend the farewell event
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ten thousands of godwits are going to depart New Zealand for a 11,000km flight back to Alaska
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ten thousands of godwits are going to depart New Zealand for a 11,000km flight back to Alaska
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a nice playground for both kids and godwits
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a nice playground for both kids and godwits
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kids respect godwits by keeping a distance with them
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kids respect godwits by keeping a distance with them
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footprints of godwits
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footprints of godwits
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kids love to play swing under tree on the walkway to beach
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kids love to play swing under tree on the walkway to beach
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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 tailoring study and tour packages in Christchurch New Zealand for Catalan, Spanish and Chinese clients.
Come with 2Ways, you will be there next time!
Photos: Ellen Yule
2Ways Company Limited - New Zealand Tailored Study and Tour Solutions
www.2ways-world.com
