Headstarting is a collaborative effort between WWT, BirdsRussia and the RSPB, and occurs as part of the International Arctic Expedition mounted each year by BirdsRussia under the leadership of Dr. Evgeny Syroechkovskiy.

Two weeks of non stop action – 7 July 2011

7 July 2011

Apologies to all for the extended radio silence, on our search for spoon-billed sandpiper nests. The past fortnight has been the most intense, exhausting, but exciting time for the team here. We’ve been working day and night, meticulously searching for signs of breeding adult birds, locating nests and watching for any predator activity nearby that might put any freshly laid eggs – and adult birds – in peril.

Calculating the best time to collect any eggs found in located nests has kept us very busy, but its been a fruitful search, so here –  in date order – is what has happened since we collected that first precious clutch of spoon-billed sandpiper eggs just two weeks ago….

Nesting spoon billed-sandpiper, photo by Martin McGill

  1. Dave Bakewell Reply

    This is gripping, tense stuff! Willing you guys on, and praying for your precious cargoes to be kept safe and lead to the beginnings of a captive breeding population!

  2. Giles Diggle Reply

    Amazing job! Well done. Page-turning blog. Let’s hope it all comes to fruition. Looking forward to seeing these birds grow up.

    Regards

    Giles

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