Sayam writes:
I was sitting on a boat under the full moon in the mudflats of Myanmar when Christoph invited me to join the 2012 Spoon-billed Sandpiper expedition to Chukotka. Saying ‘yes’ immediately was the easy part, as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper has a precious place in my heart. The last several years of surveying enormous mudflats to identify SbS hotspots, and conserving them by hunting mitigation, have felt like a great journey from youth to adulthood. Now finally in Russia, I am connecting the two dots from winter grounds to summer, and feeling like I have come life’s full circle.
As a Bangladeshi citizen, getting to Russia was not simple. The month-long visa ordeal included almost daily visits to the embassy for two weeks straight. Liza and Evgeny from Birds Russia were a huge help.
But still, I was not in time. I reached Anadyr 28 May, four days after the team had left for Meino, so I could only trust fate, go birding and wait for the helicopter and clear weather.
Today I finally joined my team. This was the moment I have been waiting for all year, and in fact, for years! Last year, I checked the blog for the SbS 2011 Expedition every day. This year I am here, as one of the team working to save the SBS, and I am honored to be a part of it—-as well as happy to learn, in this evening’s meeting, of two new possible pairs of SbS.
Displaying Ruff while waiting in Anadyr (c) Sayam U. Chowdury
Welcome to the Team. I have been enjoying reading the team blogs and wish you all success with this project.
This is an opprtunity for you, Sayam, to learn more about SBS. You have earned this opportunity by working hard, day & night, for the conservation of SBS in Bangladesh. Hope this expedition would empower you further to contribute more for this critically endangered species in the world.
Yes he did!! We feel happy and proud to his achievements!!
Wishing your save migration to the winter home of SBS.
Sourav Mahmud
Bangladesh Bird Club
Keep up the good spirit. We are wishing good luck from the wintering dot ! Long live SbS…