6 June 2011 Woke at 0630, Nige already up, we are rather mixed up as it is only slightly dark for a few hours. Off to breakfast, creamed rice and some pancakes to take out with us today. Got a plan for later and will see if we find more. Really hoping Nige gets to see a spoon-billed s

4 June 2011 A wet day, I headed out and checked what we call the corrall area (old Reindeer handling station) with Simon, a couple of very wolf-like feral dogs were busy digging out Ground Squirrels from a burrow system, many of these dogs roam the area  and predate eggs and young. We

3 June 2011 Simon went out at 0200-0900 but did not find any spoon-billed sandpipers, I decided against going out in the harsh conditions at 0700, nothing to be gained, I spared a thought for Simon as I made a hot cup of tea. He returned with news of the leg flagged Mongolian plover p

2 June 2011 Awful weather, stayed in until late afternoon when I set off in the gale and rain with Simon for the corrall, we were overtaken on a slightly different route by three of our teammates on the two quad bikes who were also heading for the same destination. I decided to head b

1 June 2011 Simon walked 24 miles today, all alone on the spit, he saw a leg flagged red knot that had been marked in the area previously, he had three red knot territories and had also logged a western sandpiper. I went with Jochen for a walk into the moraine hills to check two terri

31 May 2011 A misty and foggy start to the day. All three of us at Base camp continued with cleaning after breakfast, I copped the toilet and Simon the kitchen areas behind the cupboards and floor. We had to disinfect everything as we want nothing nasty to be anywhere in the base. The

30 May 2011 Uncomfortable night as no pillow, my blow up one has punctured. After breakfast at Sveta’s house (local lady of the settlement who cooks breakfast and evening meals for us) we headed back to the house to continue house clearance and cleaning, the ‘incubation’ room was clea

29 May 2011 Spent all day clearing out three rooms in the house, dirty, grimy, dusty work and we were all itching. Finished at 1700 and after dinner went for a walk at 2000hrs, I watched the sea to witness the migration for an hour, big parties of Pomarine Skuas and Black Scoters were

28 May 2011 After breakfast we walked out with Pavel leading and everyone else following to check all the last breeding territories of Spoon-billed Sandpipers, we checked the gravel spits and ridges where a few Turnstone were seen and Dunlin heard to the low moraine hills and slopes,

27 May 2011 I woke early at 0300 and could see the mountains in the distance, we had to be flying today, surely. I stayed restless until 0500 and was going out but for the pools being all frozen. I went back to sleep until 0700 and then headed out to watch Long-toed Stints displaying.