Scott explains why stopover sites like Hampton Harbor are so important to migrating shorebirds.
The Hudsonian Godwit is just one species of shorebird that stops in New Hampshire during its epic migration trip. (Courtesy Glen Tepke)
It’s only two short months since the end of spring migration and already the first birds are beginning to head south. Shorebirds are amongst the earliest to depart each fall and are now appearing along our coast. Thirty-four species occur in New Hampshire, a medley of different shapes and sizes.
Many favor coastal aquatic habitats, including mudflats and lagoons, and as such tend to be out of the public eye. But a few species prefer sandy beaches, where they scurry about at the waters edge searching for tasty morsels while trying to avoid dogs and people.
Most pass through New Hampshire on their way to and from northern breeding grounds, stopping off only to rest and refuel. A recent study of Hampton Harbor confirmed its importance as a stopover site. In spring, shorebirds rely on fat reserves laid down in places like Hampton to carry them through the harsh conditions of the arctic spring. In fall they rebuild their reserves to sustain them on their journey south.
Hudsonian godwit offers a good example of the demands of migration and the importance of stopover sites. It is a stately shorebird that breeds in the high arctic and winters as far south as southern Argentina. Every year a few stop in Hampton Harbor for a week or two.
Last fall a colleague who was on a boat 10 miles southeast of Cape Cod sighted a flock of almost fifty godwits flying low to the water heading due south. They had likely come from the Hudson Bay population and were heading for Argentina. Given that they can fly at sustained speeds of about thirty-five miles per hour, they were about 35 hours into a seven day non-stop journey. Now that is a lot of fat.
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