[KFC]

Christoph Zockler talks about his visit to Rudong in this excellent podcast...

http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/t...g-tidal-flats/

Keep up the good work, guys!
Ken

[mcaribou]

Recently there are only three Spooner wintering in Minjiang Estuary.

[KFC]

Hi all

Just read the very first post in this thread from Mark hoping to generate sightings from china for the SBS task-force. What an amazing change in the 4+ years since he wrote that. SBS continued to decline, much has been put in place to help them on the breeding grounds, wintering grounds and in captivity... and records from China, often reported first through this thread, have increased massively. Of course, this is largely because of effort made by Mcaribou and other observers in China who have changed (or perhaps just provided evidence for) our perceptions of the importance of the country for this species. Well done to observers on the ground and to Mark for starting the thread in the first place!

BUT... that's not what I was writing about. Report from Birdlife International about SBS wintering in China and the intensified threat of shorebird trapping can be found here

Best wishes everyone
Ken

[rockfowl]

Thanks Ken! and disturbing news from China, 11.5 km of mist nets!!

Time to continue to push for an active and upheld ban on this nonsense before its way too late.

[KFC]

Originally Posted by rockfowl

Thanks Ken! and disturbing news from China, 11.5 km of mist nets!!

Time to continue to push for an active and upheld ban on this nonsense before its way too late.

Disturbing indeed, and although I am very concerned, this would concern me even more if it weren't for recent news out of China with respect to activists reacting to the poisoning of storks, netting of birds and night-time hunting. I hope Chinese conservationists are able to act quickly again to combat this recently identified threat.

Good luck one and all
Ken

[Terry Townshend]

It is, of course, disturbing to read about the sheer scale of the illegal mist-netting activity at this site. But the timing of Jonathan and Richard's discovery is good: there is a new government initiative to crack down on illegal poaching across the country, including extra resources and people for the worst affected areas. And the media is taking a strong interest. See this article from Shenzhen , which would have been very unlikely before the recent incidents in Tianjin and Hunan Province.

The fact that there are SBS at this site will increase the interest, and pressure, both from the public and the media. Jonathan, together with local groups, has secured a meeting with the head of the local Forestry Department to discuss what can be done.

Grounds for optimism in what can, at times, seem like a sea of despair..!

[mcaribou]

The local NR seems interested in the task force's plan of holding a meeting against hunting in the spring.

[mcaribou]

http://www.rdxmt.com/folder3/folder6...2-1733893.html
The Rudong TV programmer who made this video told us that years ago he made another video of the history of Yangtze River and long long ago the river went into sea at Rudong.
So we think it's the reason of the huge mudflat and so many waders continuing using it,although the river mouth has moved to Shanghai.

[mcaribou]

After Chinese New Year,workers come back to Rudong and are finishing a new seawall which surrounds the best area for waders in 2008/2009 which then was destroyed by Spartina.

[mcaribou]

big area in Dongtai has been reclaimed :(

[KFC]

Originally Posted by mcaribou

big area in Dongtai has been reclaimed :(

Sad news and very worrying. It sounds like there has been a lot of reclaiming this winter. Was the big area in Dongtai traditionally good for waders and shorebirds? I hope there is somewhere left for the birds to go as the come north this spring.

Ken

[mcaribou]

Hi Ken
Yes,the extensive mudflat extends from Dongtai southward to Rudong,all very good for waders and Spooner. The count of 106 Spooner came from all these areas in total.
Where u visited in Yangkou,Rudong has also been reclaimed this winter,although it had already been ruined by Spartina.
Tmr may go to southern Rudong to check situation there.

[KFC]

Originally Posted by mcaribou

Hi Ken
Yes,the extensive mudflat extends from Dongtai southward to Rudong,all very good for waders and Spooner. The count of 106 Spooner came from all these areas in total.
Where u visited in Yangkou,Rudong has also been reclaimed this winter,although it had already been ruined by Spartina.
Tmr may go to southern Rudong to check situation there.

Thank you for the information. That's all extremely worrying and deeply sad. This is especially so after Christoph Zockler's visit last year when the big count was made. I really don't know what to say. Could this be the last hope gone for the species?

Thanks again for sharing.
Ken

[mcaribou]

southern Rudong is still good.It's even better than Yangkou now in the numbers of wintering waders.
Let's see if there can be more Spooner than Yangkou in a few weeks.

[KFC]

Originally Posted by mcaribou

southern Rudong is still good.It's even better than Yangkou now in the numbers of wintering waders.
Let's see if there can be more Spooner than Yangkou in a few weeks.

I like your optimism and hope you're right. Wish I could be there to look with you. Good luck!

Ken

[rockfowl]

Just got to keep it in the news - http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21086610

[mcaribou]

on 31 Mar Spooner was recorded in Yangkou,Rudong and now they're gaining br plumage.

[jonathmartinez]

Dear All,

A Spoonbilled Sandpiper was present on 11th of April at Xitou of the Guangdong coast on the beach roosting with about 3000 mixed waders, and a different individual was present on 12th at the same place but the bird from the day before could not be relocated. None of them were present on 13th. Other good bird include a second winter Glaucous Gull, a first for Guangdong outside Hong Kong, and 2 Grey Phalarope on 13th on the beach together with the other roosting waders. Helped by the really abd weather, bushes was full of birds, with at least 3 Siberian Blue Robin, 3 Orange-headed Thrush and a nice diversity of Flycatchers.

All the best.

Jonathan

[jonathmartinez]

Dear All,

A Spoonbilled Sandpiper was present on 11th of April at Xitou of the Guangdong coast on the beach roosting with about 3000 mixed waders, and a different individual was present on 12th at the same place but the bird from the day before could not be relocated. None of them were present on 13th. Other good bird include a second winter Glaucous Gull, a first for Guangdong outside Hong Kong, and 2 Grey Phalarope on 13th on the beach together with the other roosting waders. Helped by the really abd weather, bushes was full of birds, with at least 3 Siberian Blue Robin, 3 Orange-headed Thrush and a nice diversity of Flycatchers.

All the best.

Jonathan

[mcaribou]

Southern Rudong is the best place now for Spooner but foreigners could not go there due to the new radar.

[mcaribou]

Jianggang,Dongtai is not good anymore,due that it's building a Jiangsu version of Saemangeum. On 6 May we only saw 4000 waders,with only one Spooner and four NGreenshank.