A large proportion of its world population come to Ireland every winter. The godwits spend their time on or near our estuaries. Jim Wilson chose this species because it is typical of our wetland birds and can be used as example to show how important Ireland is for hundreds of thousands of birds from all over the northern hemisphere.Talking about the documentary Jim Wilson says he "hopes to use the story of the black-tailed godwit to show the listener how important it is for us to protect our wildlife, to look on it as not our property but as something we should protect, cherish and enjoy as part of our heritage. Learning about birds like the black-tailed godwit in Ireland is fascinating and should be considered at least as important as cheetahs in Africa or penguins in the Antartic". Jim Wilson will tell the story of "our" black-tailed godwits, what happens these birds when they leave our shores for Iceland each spring and how nature lovers hope to find out more about them to enable us to secure their future in Ireland and beyond. Jim Wilson started his first nature notebook when he was 12 years old. He has studied all aspects of Irish natural history for over 25 years but has a particular interest in the birds of Ireland. He is a computer systems administrator by profession and works for the Southern Health Board at Cork University Hospital. Presented by Jim Wilson Produced by Derek Mooney(First broadcast 20/06/01)An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland