Migratory Map Over Open Ocean

The Center for Conservation Biology released a great map showing the migratory path of whimbrels, a medium sized, often dusty brown bird known as a wader.  Scientists tracked the birds with GPS and some of the birds logged over 4,000 miles.

To know the beginning and the end point of a migration is one thing, it's another to see it on a map.  Note how much time and mileage is spent over the open ocean.  Even more impressive, the bird cannot land on water, according to the report.

It's easy to admire this bird coasting and flying above the beautiful and empty deep blue for thousands of miles before finding a dark crag poking through the water, a small isle, or a bit of spare coast to finally alight.