Bar-tailed Godwit at Brigantine N.W.R.! ~ May 17, 2010

Since I already had the day off, I made a late morning decision to head to Brigantine (Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge) in search of the Bar-tailed Godwit that had been there since Thursday. As luck would have it, I drove to the area of the dike where it had most often been seen and found another birder already on the bird. It was a long way out in the Danzenbaker Pool. After about 30 minutes, it started taking short flights, moving closer to us each time.

Bar-tailed Godwit at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey.

Bar-tailed Godwit at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey. This photo shows the conspicuous white rump, dark wrists, and lack of any wing stripe.

Bar-tailed Godwit at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey. This photo shows the conspicuous white rump, dark wrists, and lack of any wing stripe.

At 3:00, it flew across the south dike and out into the bay, landing in the direction of the Atlantic City casinos. It was a new 'Lower 48' bird for me, bringing back great memories of the ones I saw near Nome during my 2007 trip to Alaska.

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