Black-tailed Godwit at Nagpur in November

Black-talied Godwit

This is a picture I took on 27th Nov 2009 at Ambhazari Lake, Nagpur. The bird with the long beak is a ‘Western’ Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa in it’s winter, non breeding plumage of this bird. These birds migrate from Central Asia (Far East Russia) to India for wintering.

In Nagpur we see them only in April when they are returning and are beginning to assume breeding plumage. However this year for the first time in nearly 8 years of my serious I have spotted them in November…. I hope they stay here throughout winter as it would present a great photo opportunity.

Incidentally the bird is classified as Near Threatened by IUCN

Additional information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_Godwit