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.
Arctic Skua chasing a Vega Gull off its turf (c) Sayam U. Chowdhury

Sayam’s Arctic Shots

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More spoon-billed sandpipers, we celebrate with a beer – 6 June 2011

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
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What a day – All too much for a naturalist – 30 May 2011

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
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Its here! The cargo is finally here! – 24 May 2011

24 May 2011 Another sunny day, good news as the cargo finally arrived and we went to the hangar to sort out which equipment stays in Anadyr and which is to be loaded onto the helicopter to take to Meinypilgyno. It had been battered a bit since Nige sent it in late April from Slimbridg
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Dragged out for a beer – 23 May 2011

23 May 2011 I woke up in the night feeling bad and took some medication, I spent the morning recovering from the migraine, In the late afternoon Nige and I went for a long Tundra walk, we saw a pair of Pectoral Sandpipers, 13 flew in and landed next to us with 3 and 8 seen later. Also
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How much for the tomatoes? – 21 May 2011

21 May 2011 I headed out across the Tundra during the morning with Nige and Jochen, a close Willow Grouse walked ahead of us. A Short-eared Owl and Arctic Skua were dominating the area, Long-billed Dowitchers, c200 in total were flying over calling and displaying. Otherwise it was a s
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