It was an ordinary day. Grabbed the morning newspaper and began searching the paper to see what might be happening in good 'ole Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There on page A7 was a bird I had never seen before. The rare bird was known as a Hudsonian godwit. Not sure if I had ever seen one before, but was getting a chance to see one now. And....It was the only one on Middle Creek! The newspaper said that the bird was last seen in the county in September of 2019 on the Conejohela Flats, a group of islands in the Susquehanna River near Washington Boro. Before that date, the last sighting of the bird was at Middle Creek nearly 40 years ago. Seems that every few years, one shows up somewhere in the state. The Hudsonian godwit is about 14 to 17 inches tall with long legs, neck and bill. They're a type of shorebird that feeds on mudflats, using their bill to pluck out invertebrates to eat. The Hudsonian godwit migrates from the tip of South America to the northern part of North America, and has one of the longest migrations. The bird that was seen at Middle Creek was said to perhaps be a failed breeder that's just heading back out a little earlier than normal. It was said that the Pennsylvania Game Commission deserves the credit for the bird being in the area and shows that they create an inviting habitat for birds of all types. Anyone caring to see the bird in Pennsylvania can visit the eBird website run by the Cornell lab of Ornithology at bird.org. Those that manage and take care of the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area should be complimented on the fantastic work they do to keep the wildlife in the Middle Creek area. If it wasn't for that group, the Hudsonian godwit wouldn't even be in the area. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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