Godwit expected in NZ safe today

A feathered harbinger of spring was expected to land safely in New Zealand last night.

The 30,000km round trip of the Godwit from New Zealand to Alaska and back again has been tracked by satellite for the first time.

A single godwit was located by satellite just off the northern tip of the North Island at 1pm yesterday and was expected to land in the Firth of Thames about 7pm.

The godwit, known as E7, was carrying a transmitter and tracked by satellite from when it left Auckland in February for its entire heart-shaped round trip.

The bird flew non-stop for the 10,200km trip to China in March. It then refuelled for five weeks in China and continued its journey, arriving at a breeding ground 7300km away in the Yukon Delta of Alaska in May.

The bird then left Alaska in late August for the 11,500km final leg of its journey, back to New Zealand.

Godwits are expected to make it to Christchurch this weekend.

Massey University zoologist Dr Phil Battley, who is overseeing the tracking, was thrilled the battery powering the tiny transmitter attached to the bird had lasted the whole trip.

The battery was designed to only last for the trip to Alaska.

"It is incredibly cool ... It is pretty exciting ... There are people keeping an eye out where she is expected to land today and tomorrow so there is a good chance we will see her," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News