Glorious Godwits

These photograph and video clips were taken the other day when I called into the RSPB Belfast Harbour Reserve. 

Black Tailed Godwits

 The sun was out, (please take not of that fact!) and at the beginning the Godwits were at the water’s edge and then then came even closer to me when they walked and feed on the grass just outside the window of the Reserve.  It is wonderful to see a lot of them in wonderful chestnut coloured plumage

(Below) The Godwit without the foot is top left.

Below the Godwit in the top left of this video has tags on both legs however the left leg has no foot.  I wondered why the Godwit was scratching so much and was the leg sore or were the tags annoying it?

Below, these 2 Godwits were really having real good bath and using their wonderful long beaks to preen their feathers.  Gives us a great opportunity to look at their plumage especially if we freeze some photo frames.

The Godwit below with its wings open has only one leg and is finding life difficult to manoeuvre. 

This video below shows just how difficult it is for this Godwit to get around.  It uses it beak to balance however if you can freeze frame at the correct spot, you will see that it also uses its wing to balance.

These two Godwits were having a ‘barney’ but really the one on the left seemed to be a bit of a bully or perhaps he was just having a bad day.   

In the last video you will see the Godwit attaching the Godwit that had only one leg. I didn't like seeing that and  I don’t think that the one legged Godwit will survive for much longer as he could only fly a few metres at a time.  

Anyway, I gave the bully a 'red card'!

Thank you for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed the 'Glorious Godwits'.  Please call again.