Article by Global Flyway Network
H3 at Yalu Jiang 11/05/2008 @ Bai Qingquan
In February 2008 Global Flyway Network, US Geological Survey, Point Reyes Bird Observatory California and AWSG implanted 14 Bar-tailed Godwits with satellite transmitters as a complimentary study to the work by from the US Geological Survey, Point Reyes Bird Observatory California, Massey University, NZ and Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalists’ Trust. The outcomes of the incredible migratory flights from these studies are well documented. E7 was New Zealand’s star performer. Our, less heralded but no less loved, star is H3.
H3 on 10/09/2014 @ Hazel Watson
H3 was the first to leave Roebuck Bay the first to arrive in the Yellow Sea the first to leave the Yellow Sea and first to arrive in Siberia. She was also the first one to leave her breeding territory and move to the New Siberian Islands where all of the birds went to fatten up for their southward migration. This was unexpected by all the team except the great Pavel Tomkovich who had told us all this is what would happen! Good old fashioned hard-core field work beats satellite technology!
And, not surprisingly she was the first back to Roebuck Bay.
The table below shows the life history of H3 from her tracking data and subsequently from field observations. It is compiled from 63 resightings. It shows the last date seen in Roebuck Bay prior to northward migration and the first date seen on return migration.
Note she was implanted with her transmitter on 21/02/2008 and her one and only resighting when overseas was from Yalu Jiang by Mr. Bai Qing Quan on 11/05/2008 during her first northward migration. She was not seen between capture and her departure in 2008 so the table starts in 2009. I am certain from her resighting history that she has been migrating successfully each year since.
She was 3+, a minimum of 3 years old when we captured her, so she is now a minimum of 10 years old.
H3’s 2008 migration as tracked by satellite
Read the original article at http://globalflywaynetwork.com.au/h3-still-going-strong/
