Project Godwit birds are exploring the UK
This week we have heard about several reports of Project Godwit birds being spotted at nature reserves around the UK - which is extremely exciting for the team. The class of 2017 spent their first few weeks after release on Lady Fen and the Ouse Washes at WWT Welney, with a few individuals then going a little distance futher down the Ouse Washes to the RSPB section of the wetlands.
Things then went a bit quiet until the first bird was spotted at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Cley Marshes reserve at the beginning of July. This week birds have been reported from three further reserves: Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Trimley Marshes (Felixstowe); RSPB Old Hall Marshes (Essex) and our very own WWT Steart Marshes (Somerset). The report from Somerset is the furthest distance recorded so far by a Project Godwit bird and the first time that a godwit from the East of England has been reported that far West.
We hope that there will be more reports of the birds as they get ready for an even longer journey South into France and Spain!!
If you happen to spot a black-tailed godwit with coloured leg rings and one of them is lime green with a black letter E, please take the details of the ring colour combination, the date and the location and you can report it into the project website here - Report a sighting
To read up more about this incredible project to give black-tailed godwits in the UK a helping hand, see our previous news posts: Rare birds released on the Fens in ‘conservation first’ for the UK and First chicks mark fresh future for rare fenland wading bird.
