Fw: Spoon-billed Sandpipers

From: Peter Morris Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2015 3:05 AM To: mailto:drdeath@picknowl.com.au Subject: Spoon-billed Sandpipers Hi David, Thanks for your enquiry and your continued interest in these wonderful little birds. We have more than 20 spoon-billed sandpipers in a bio-secure facility at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Last summer would have been the first year that we might have expected first attempts at breeding. There was pair bonding behaviour but that didn’t progress to actual breeding. It was a bit early for them anyway, we’re more hopeful for this coming summer. We published this story in early 2014 as the birds were moved into the potential breeding facility. This small flock is a sort of insurance policy, just in case the species goes extinct in the wild. The other part of our breeding operation happens in northern Russia where we take eggs from the first clutch and hand-rear them through the first few weeks when they are vulnerable to predators and bad weather – a technique called headstarting. The fledglings then travel south for two years and, if they survive, they then return to breed. We had our first confirmation last summer that a headstarted bird had returned and successfully hatched a chick – as per this news story. The other part of the project involves working with governments and partners to try and protect at least some of the stopover sites along the migration route, which are disappearing fast. This is the key to the species’ long term survival and, while the outlook is generally depressing, there have been successes as per this story. You can keep up to date with the ‘spoonies’ via a dedicated website which ourselves and the other partners involved all contribute towards. Regards, Pete Peter Morris Head of PR and Campaigns Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Slimbridge, Glos GL2 7BT, UK T 01453 891179 M 07920 151022 E peter.morris@wwt.org.uk W wwt.org.uk From: drdeath@picknowl.com.au [mailto:drdeath@picknowl.com.au] Sent: 05 January 2015 06:29 To: Info.Slimbridge Subject: Spoon-billed Sandpipers The ABC recently ran a programme on Heathrow’s animal transit centre. In it was a short section on the transit of 13 Spoon-billed Sandpipers from Moscow to Slimbridge for captive breeding. In Hong Kong I watched the steady decline in the numbers of SPS over the years so I am very interested to know what happened to them. Did they breed? If so what how successfully happened to their progeny? What is their future? David Robertson Life Member HK Birdwatching Society Adelaide Australia This message is confidential and for the sole use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. It may not be disclosed, copied or distributed in any form unless it contains an express statement to the contrary. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust does not accept responsibility for changes made to this message after it was sent. Any personal opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy of the organisation. Company Registered Address: Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a charity registered in England & Wales (No. 1030884) and in Scotland (No. SC039410) and a company limited by guarantee (No. 2882729). Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (Trading) Ltd. (Company No. 2541350) is a wholly owned subsidiary of WWT. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (Consulting) Ltd. (Company No. 2277255) is a wholly owned subsidiary of WWT.