[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Rock Piper on 00:48:33 05/05/08
It's been a while since I attempted a shorebird 'Big Day', not since that time with Stefan Schlick when we tried for 30. Close but no cigar. Just trying for it was exhilarating. 2008 is as good a year as any for shorebird 'Big Days'. But I'm proposing something even greater.
Folks, shorebirds are facing the greatest threats ever:
The collapsed Red Knot population continues to suffer while organizations fight to get the bird federally listed.
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is on the brink of extinction (entire population is smaller than Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows) due to loss of habitat.
Australia's shorebird populations have suffered massive declines in the last 25 years.
Barbados continues to participate in the senseless slaughter of tens of thousands of shorebirds every year for sport (I wonder who killed the last Eskimo Curlew?).
The list goes on.
Shorebirds are among the most popular groups of birds. Birders from all over dedicate a lot of time photographing them, studying them, and participating in efforts towards their conservation. Next time you are in the Old Cutler wetlands and see all those shorebirds, think what ten of those wetland parcels could do for these migrating wonders.
I suggest we create our own 'Florida Shorebird Day' or 'Days'. We can start off by picking one or several days out of the year for everyone to go and look for shorebirds. Initially, we go and see how many species we can tally in just one day (Nate Dias in SC recently had 32 species in a single day). Ultimately, we do more than just find the birds. Counts, plumage description, reporting bands - all these data can be a valuable resource to research.
If this is too much for you to grasp initially, let's take it slow. Remember, shorebird migration will resume later this summer and we will have a sod farm trip at that time. What better way to practice...or to get it started. Heck, 'Florida Shorebird Day' can take the place of that birding festival I thought of a few months back. More feasible and certainly original (I think).
As conservationists, we already do quite a number of things to help migrating birds in our area. I believe shorebirds need greater attention from our south Florida community. I know of some folks in central Florida doing quite a bit of shorebird observations and post their findings (SHOREBIRDS Listserv is a good resource).
Next Saturday is the NAMC, but it also happens to be International Migratory Bird Day. Keep the shorebirds in mind when you do your counts.
Let me know what y'all think.
Cheers,
RJ
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]