All,

Some thoughts on the Great Knot seen in WV on Monday -

The Fall migration path of the species is ordinarily roughly from extreme eastern Siberia south to Australia and vicinity.  According to the article linked below (and other sources I have found), the species makes the entire 6,000 - 8,000 km journey in about 5 days.  This supports the fact that the bird was only seen in WV for a few hours Monday then not again.  By my calculations, if the bird happened to originate in NW Alaska, the journey to WV already had taken it just about 8,000 km.  The trajectory it was likely on suggests that it might reach the SE coast of VA, where it may be right now.  Does it think it is in Australia now?  :-)

Of course, these are a lot of assumptions, but it would certainly be spectacular to refind the bird nearby!

http://www.abc.net.au/wing/community/fromthewet-01-03.htm

Take Care,

Jay Keller,
Arlington


-----Original Message-----
>From: Rob Hilton <>
>Sent: Aug 15, 2007 7:11 PM
>To: 
>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Great Knot in West Va.
>
>Hi Jay, 
>
>I believe the Great Knot Windfield is in Putnam
>County, and so downriver from Charleston along the
>Kanawha River. 
>
>Rob Hilton
>aimophila10
>Silver Spring
>yahoo
>
>
>       
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