At 7:00 p.m., President Debbie Mullins called the Society meeting to order.
President Mullins reminded the members that the Annual Meeting is one month away, on March 12th, at the Liederkranz Club, where we will elect new officers and board members and honor our award recipients and 50-year members. We will also hear a fascinating talk by the 2024 Eisenmann medalist, Dr. George Archibald, about his lifelong efforts to conserve cranes and their habitats.
Motion 1: President Mullins announced the result of the online vote to approve the January 2024 members’ meeting minutes. The vote passed with 135 votes in favor, none opposed, and two abstaining.
Motion 2: The Society voted on the following four applicants for membership, with 137 members voting in favor and none opposed.
- Julie Owen Hanft, Active Membership, Sponsored by Debbie Becker
- Victoria Miretti, Active Membership, Sponsored by Alice Deutsch
- Carolyn Dobbs, Active Membership, Sponsored by Chuck McAlexander
- Trang Do, Active Membership, Sponsored by Kenelma Perez
At 7:05 p.m., President Mullins introduced the speaker, Dr. Bruce Beehler.
Dr. Bruce Beehler
Bruce Beehler, Ph.D. is an ornithologist, conservationist, and naturalist. He is currently a research associate in the division of birds at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and a scientific affiliate of the American Bird Conservancy. Beehler has spent much of his scientific career studying birds and their forest habitats and working for their conservation. After conducting doctoral fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, Beehler worked for ten years at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, followed by stints at the Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Department of State, Conservation International, and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. He is the editor of book reviews for the Wilson Journal of Ornithology and associate editor for the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club. Today, Beehler carries out natural history studies and writing focused on wildlife and natural places in North America.
30,000 Miles in Search of Godwits, from the Mexican Border to the Arctic
Upon retiring and seeking a fulfilling endeavor, Dr. Beehler found inspiration in the expedition undertaken by Edwin Way Teale and his wife Nellie during the late 1940s, chronicled in his renowned work, “North with the Spring.” Drawing from this legacy, Dr. Beehler embarked on his own transformative journey in 2015, resulting in the publication of “North On The Wings.” This captivating narrative documents his expedition, tracing the spring warbler migration along the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Buoyed by the success of his first venture, Dr. Beehler eagerly pursued another adventure, this time focusing his lens on shorebirds, particularly the enigmatic Hudsonian Godwit.
The Hudsonian Godwit presents a formidable challenge for birdwatchers. Its migratory path spans vast distances, from Chili, across the Gulf of Mexico, crossing the heartland of America, navigating through Northwestern Canada, and ultimately reaching its breeding grounds in Alaska, the North Slope, and Hudson Bay. Undeterred, Dr. Beehler undertook a remarkable journey, spanning two hundred and twenty-three days, in his relentless quest to observe and document these elusive birds in their natural habitat.
The search began in South Texas’s Lower Rio Grande Valley, but spotting a Hudsonian Godwit proved challenging amidst numerous shorebirds. After two weeks, Dr. Beehler headed north, finding more success along roadsides and flooded agricultural fields rather than protected wildlife refuges or state parks in states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Hudsonian Godwits, known for their migratory flocking behavior, preferred overnight stopovers in select locations within the lower forty-eight states. Guided by this insight, he learned to rely on the presence of substantial flocks of Franklin’s Gulls as a reliable sight of suitable migration habitats and a likely place to search.
The East Central Nebraska rainwater basin is a pivotal staging ground for migrating Godwits. Here, they feed in the shallow waters, voraciously consuming polyketide worms and invertebrates, replenishing their reserves alongside Buff-breasted Sandpipers and an array of avian companions before pressing onward. Likewise, in the expanse of South Dakota, Dr. Beehler watched Hudsonian Godwits and Wilson’s Snipes foraging in puddled waters while a flock of two hundred and forty-nine American Golden Plovers, in spring plumage, rested nearby.
North Dakota is Marbled Godwit territory, and they breed in the high prairie of Teddy Roosevelt National Park. Montana’s Bentonite Road near Glasgow is another hotspot for Marbled Godwits and a variety of other shorebirds, such as Long-Billed Curlews, Mountain Plovers, and Thick-billed Longspurs, as well as songbirds such as Horned Larks and Lark Sparrows. Late May to early June marks the prime time to visit this region.
Entering Saskatchewan, Canada, Dr. Beehler encountered abundant Red-necked Phalaropes and Baird’s Sandpipers foraging in the mudflats. In the saline lakes of Central Saskatchewan, he observed numerous Hudsonian Godwits making their final stop before continuing to their breeding grounds. While Manitoba, Canada, is home to many Marbled Godwits, Hudsonian Godwits were notably absent in the region.
A brief flight to Churchill along the banks of Hudson Bay in Manitoba unveiled the southernmost breeding area for Hudsonian Godwits. Even in early June, the temperature remained at thirty-nine degrees with frozen water and snow, creating a tundra-like environment. This setting provides ideal conditions for male Hudsonian Godwits to establish their breeding territories, awaiting the arrival of females later in the season. Twin Lakes Road, nestled amidst White Spruce surroundings, offers a fen or bog habitat where visitors can encounter not only singing and displaying Hudsonian Godwits but also Least Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers, and Short-billed Dowitchers.
In Central Alberta, Dr. Beehler discovered the Western population of Willets and Upland Sandpipers breeding on the expansive high prairie. Venturing into Northern British Columbia’s Muncho Lake Provincial Park revealed abundant wildlife, including Woodland Bison and Dall Sheep, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Swainson’s Hawks.
Upon reaching Beluga, Alaska, near Anchorage, Dr. Beehler rendezvoused with Nathan Carter, an expert researching Hudsonian Godwits in their breeding habitats. Amidst bogs teeming with White Spruce, Black Spruce, and Tamarack, female Hudsonian Godwits concealed their nests within ground depressions, blending seamlessly with their surroundings. Godwits, like many shorebirds, typically lay four eggs in their nests. The North Bog and South Bog of Beluga support diverse avian inhabitants, including Bonaparte’s Gulls, Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Arctic Terns, and Lesser Yellowlegs.
A forty-five-minute flight northward transported Dr. Beehler to Nome, Alaska, situated on the Seward Peninsula. There, he encountered the Bar-tailed Godwit, adding to his list of Godwit species. The diverse avifauna included Long-tailed Jaegers, Western Sandpipers, Gyrfalcons, Bristle-thighed Curlews, Whimbrels, Red-throated Loons, Pacific Golden Plovers, and American Golden Plovers. Other wildlife encounters extended beyond birds to include sightings of Musk Ox, Canada Lynx, and Snowshoe Hares. Dr. Beehler found that walking the Upland Tundra is one of the most spectacular experiences a North American Naturalist can have. There is incredibly diverse flora and fauna everywhere, and the space allows breeding birds to spread out and hide from predators.
The next destination required a two-hour flight north from Anchorage to Utqiagvik/Point Barrow, between the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. This snowy expanse teemed with male birds staking out nesting territories, including Pectoral Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Dunlins, Red-necked Stints, Parasitic Jaegers, Sabine’s Gulls, Snow Buntings, Red Phalaropes, and all four Eider species. Dr. Beehler’s expedition took an unexpected turn when he encountered a female Polar Bear near the town, lured by carrion placed to attract these majestic creatures.
Dr. Beehler’s journey next led him to Dawson City in the Yukon, where he embarked on a five-hundred-mile drive along the Dempster Highway to reach the Arctic Ocean. Along the way, he encountered the elusive Smith’s Longspur, witnessed numerous Grizzly Bears, and spotted the Northern Collared Pika within Tombstone Territorial Park’s rugged terrain. Despite scouring the rocky tundra of the high country along Surfbird Ridge, he unfortunately never saw an actual Surfbird. However, the area proved abundant in American Golden Plovers, Redpolls, and Savannah Sparrows.
Continuing his expedition, Dr. Beehler journeyed to Inuvik and followed the final extension road, extending another sixty miles to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean, famously known as the “Road to Tuk.” Here, he patiently awaited the sight of the long summer sun descending below the horizon. Regrettably, due to logistical challenges, Dr. Beehler could not access the Hudsonian Godwit breeding grounds in the Mackenzie Delta.
In late July, the Hudsonian Godwits begin their southern journey, with males, females, and juveniles forming distinct groups. A pivotal stopover along their route is the western shore of James Bay, where Dr. Beehler volunteered with the Canadian Wildlife Service during their longstanding shorebird survey. Amidst this scenic landscape, encounters with Black Bears, Nelson’s Sparrows, Lesser Yellowlegs, and expansive flocks of White-rumped Sandpipers and Hudsonian Godwits were commonplace. His extended stay at the Moose Cree hunting camp on Long Ridge Point provided invaluable opportunities to observe the impressive numbers of migrating birds passing through the area.
The Godwits proceeded eastward through Canada and New England before crossing the Atlantic towards South America. Dr. Beehler’s journey led him to Tadoussac, Quebec’s renowned marine national park. Notably, Tadoussac is famed for witnessing fallouts of over five hundred thousand Wood Warblers during migration. Positioned along the picturesque St. Lawrence River, the area offers sightings of Kittiwakes, migrating Whimbrels, and gatherings of Beluga and Humpback whales.
Continuing his journey along the fall migration route, Dr. Beehler observed sizable flocks of Semipalmated Sandpipers in Dorchester, New Brunswick, at the top of the Bay of Fundy. Sadly, their numbers are declining due to competition for food from bait worm harvesters. He witnessed Godwits, Whimbrels, and Eiders at Schoodic Point in Maine.
Descending to Chatham on Cape Cod, Dr. Beehler sailed to South Monomoy Island to bid his final farewell to the Hudsonian Godwits for the season. The refuge forms a vital part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), designated as a Globally Important Bird Area (IBA). While exploring the Powderhole, he encountered abundant Gray Seals and White Sharks patrolling the shallows in search of prey.
Although Dr. Beehler’s journey concluded here, the Hudsonian Godwits pressed southward, with Argentina and southern Chile still lying ahead on their migration route.
Examining the flight patterns of geotagged Hudsonian Godwits reveals their remarkable ability to traverse vast distances, particularly evident during their Spring migration. They undertake extraordinary journeys, flying over the Pacific Ocean from Chile, through Central America, and finally crossing the Gulf of Mexico to reach Texas. However, the record for the longest flight belongs to the Bar-tailed Godwit, which soared non-stop for an astonishing eleven days from the Yukon, covering 13,500 miles to reach Tasmania.
The Pacific Ocean serves as a thoroughfare for numerous bird species undertaking these epic migratory flights, including the Pacific Golden Plover, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Great Knot, and the Red Knot.
How do they accomplish such feats? It’s a marvelously complex combination of factors, blending an internal clock and compass, intricate biological design and impulses, celestial cues such as the sun, olfactory senses, the memory of place, Earth’s magnetic field inclination, and even the enigmatic phenomenon of quantum entanglement. It’s a breathtaking synthesis that challenges the limits of our understanding.
Dr. Beehler concluded his presentation by acknowledging the invaluable contribution of Allan Messer, with whom he collaborated for two years to craft stunning illustrations for his forthcoming book, “Flight of the Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations,” slated for release in April 2025.
As the event drew to a close, a captivating Q&A session moderated by Vice President Douglas Futuyma ensued. The Linnaean Society extended their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Beehler for imparting his fascinating insights and unwavering enthusiasm for birds and the diverse landscapes of North America.