That sexy beast. With the long nose and even longer legs. Super sporty muscley bird. The godwit is this year's Bird of the Year. Complete with all the power that only a bird that flaps (not soars) all the way from Alaska to NZ without stopping - the kuaka is the poster child for resilience.
Keith Woodley - author of Godwit; Long haul Champions and manager of the Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre - sent a last minute email asking for help in the campaign to get the godwit over the line in the Forest and Bird popularity contest to help build the bird's profile.
It's 40 years since the centre opened and has played host to such great bird enthusiasts as Margaret Attwood and Helen Clark as well as thousands of international dignitaries.
Keith's life has literally been dedicated to the flight and plight of one of our most endearing birds; building relationships here and in the countries the kuaka visits to help secure its feeding sites against development and the encroachment of Asia's ever-growing mega cities.
In May he was with two other scientists visiting North Korea where the kuaka stops over. Their plan is to raise money to buy the piece of land where the birds feed. The only individuals in the world mad and passionate enough to try and buy a swamp in North Korea - for a bunch of birds. Inspirational insanity in a crazy world.
