Embsay resident Clare Dunn spotted 11 Black-tailed Godwits at Kempley Pond on Saturday, the 3rd July. An unusual sighting of this rare large wading bird at an important location for wildlife.

The Black-tailed Godwit can most easily be spotted around the coast in winter but also inland at wetlands during migration.

The Wildlife Trust states that the Black-tailed Godwit is a rare breeding bird in the UK that has suffered from dramatic declines. As such the Black-tailed Godwit is categorised under Red – the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action and is protected under Schedule 1 of the The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wildlife-and-the-law

A tall, elegant wader, the Black-tailed Godwit breeds in wet grasslands, and winters on coastal estuaries and marshes, and at inland shallow waters. A sociable bird, it forms large flocks when feeding, probing the mud with its bill for invertebrate-prey. Black-tailed godwits form monogamous pairs that can last for 25 years. Every year, faithful couples will arrive at their breeding grounds within three days of each other, mate and raise their chicks together.

Their most distinctive features are their long beaks and legs, and the black and white stripes on their wings. Female black-tailed godwits are bigger and heavier than the males, with a noticeably longer beak (which helps the sexes to avoid competing for food with each other).

If you spot any unusual birds or other animals around our villages, please do get in touch with us at: embsayandeastbypost@gmail.com