In the news in Somerset in April, what is a Hudsonian Godwit?
Hudsonian godwit Hudsonian godwit The Hudsonian godwit ("Limosa haemastica") is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. The genus name "Limosa" is from Latin and means "muddy", from "limus", "mud". The specific "haemastica" is from Ancient Greek and means "bloody". An 18th century name for this bird was red-breasted godwit. The English term "godwit" was first recorded in about 1416–7 and is believed to imitate the bird's call. Adults have long dark legs and a long pink bill with a slight upward curve and dark at the tip. The upper parts are mottled brown and the underparts are chestnut. The tail
Hudsonian godwit birds gather at James Bay before fall migration. In good weather, many birds make the trip south without stopping. They are vagrants to Europe, Australia, and South Africa. They can perhaps be most easily seen in migration on the east coast of North America where they can be plentiful in migration in late July through early August. These birds forage by probing in shallow water. They mainly eat insects and crustaceans. Their numbers were reduced by hunting at the end of the 19th century. Hudsonian godwit The Hudsonian godwit ("Limosa haemastica") is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae.