Hudsonian Godwit

HUDSONIAN GODWIT

Limosa haemastica

A: Hudsonbaaigriet

 

A very rare vagrant to southern Africa. This was the first ‘twitchable’ one that I could make, and jumped at the opportunity. It had been hanging around the lagoon at St Francis Bay for a while, and eventually, I took the plunge and headed down that way. Some searching was required before it was found, but when we did find it – it was rather relaxed and allowed for a relatively close approach. The darker general colour, plain upperparts, black-and-white tail and black underwing are quite distinctive. This bird also has the special number on any South African birder list – it was the 800th species I had seen within the subregion. And what a great 800th bird it is (this being only the 8th record in history)!!

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