Motueka prepares to welcome returning godwits

August 30th, 2013

Planning is under way again for the return of the godwits to Motueka's sandspit and estuary, expected in a couple of weeks.

The Motueka Arts Council and the Ornithological Society, along with some related groups, have planned a series of art and information activities, beginning with hoped-for sightings of the special birds from Motueka Quay.

Every year, around the second week of September, the first of the godwits arrive from their breeding grounds in Alaska, having flown the extraordinary distance non-stop. To celebrate this event, in recent years the Arts Council has mounted various community events.

The first planned event will be the viewing of the godwits feeding in the Motueka Estuary. On Sunday 29th September from 10am to noon, Ornithological Society members will have telescopes at the old wharf for people to watch the godwits feeding.

There will also be a tent with information about the godwits' life cycle, and photos of other birds seen in our estuaries. And the Motueka Art group will be displaying and demonstrating their art works.

The second special event will be a four week-long art exhibition titled "Godwits, estuary and shore birds of Motueka", beginning October 2nd, at three locations: upstairs at the Sprig and Fern, Riwaka Hair Salon and Steph Wills Dental rooms. Invited artists will be exhibiting and selling their works.

The third event with an ornithological flavour will be a photographic slide show titled "Birds of the local Estuaries", presented by Rebecca Bowater, FPSNZ. This will be held at the SeniorNet rooms, 42 Pah Street, on October 16th at 7.30pm.

A painting by Liz Hofmann

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