Some updates for those interested in ongoing news about long-distance
shorebird migrants. These are inspiring stories of the persistence of
creatures adapted to the narrowest margins of survivability on earth.
They are still with us, albeit in diminished numbers, despite the
eradication of their habitats so that human numbers can continue to
multiply.
        First, Winnie, the whimbrel given a radio responder in Virginia by the
Nature Conservancy last spring, who later undertook an unusually long
migration to Alaska via a 3200-mile non-stop flight, apparently either
died or lost her transmitter in August on her return voyage (again
apparently aimed at the east coast, probably via Ohio, rather than the
west coast used by Alaska nesters) near Duluth. This story and related
news is at
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/virginia/news/news2758.html

        The still more amazing trans-Pacific southward movement of
Alaskan-breeding bar-tailed godwits, the longest non-stop migration by
any shorebird, is again being tracked by transmitter, with updates at
http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/shorebirds/barg_updates.html . If
these narratives don't stir your heart, then take up politics.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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