Maureen Christie included in 2021 South Australian Women’s Honour Roll
In a ceremony at Government House on 17 November 2021, Maureen Christie, of Carpenter Rocks, was celebrated as one of 19 women on the 2021 South Australian Women’s Honour Roll. Maureen was acknowledged for her work as an environmental champion and community educator. She received a certificate from the Governor, Frances Adamson AC, on behalf of the Minister for Human Services, Michelle Lensink MLC, who was also present.
Congratulations, Maureen from everyone in the VWSG and FOSSE!!!
Maureen Christie receives her SA Women’s Honour Roll certificate at Government House. Photos taken by Petra Hanke
November 16, 2021
Latest spoon-billed sandpiper newsletter out
The latest newsletter of the SBS taskforce is now available on the EAAFP website. There are many worrying signs of declines at a range sites, and restrictions from the covid pandemic on the research and monitoring teams has made the field work even more challenging. The good news was the arrival of spoonie Lime 27 on Nan Thar island, Myanmar in early November (2021), for the eighth year running!
November 05, 2021
VWSG field work programme to restart
The fieldwork programme is about to restart for 2021 with the Mud Islands trip on November 10. And the Yallock Creek catching from 11th – 13th November will go ahead as planned. The King Island trip scheduled for November 17-26 has been cancelled due to the Tasmanian border closure.
Pūkorokoro Miranda (New Zealand) are running a Webinar 19 October on the results from the latest Bar-tailed Godwit Tracking. Adrian Riegen will follow the story of the 2021 godwit tracking project. The marathon migrations of these extraordinary birds continue to amaze and surprise us. If you have been following our regular updates, join us to discover the inside story and have your questions answered.
AWSG North-west Australia Wader and Tern Expedition 2022
The Australasian Wader Studies Group has scheduled a three week field trip to the north-west of Western Australia from 14th February to 6 March 2022 and applications are now open. Send your applications to Roz and Tegan.
Although many eastern states of Australia are experiencing a surge in Covid 19 cases by the end of the year interstate travel providing you have completed the two dose vaccination protocol seems possible without two weeks quarantine (current cost. max $2520pp AUD).
Unfortunately it seems unlikely participants will be able to come from overseas apart from New Zealand which may have a “travel bubble”. with some or all Australian states.
As AWSG will be visiting remote areas in Western Australia with vulnerable populations who experience a high level of underlying health concerns and many expeditioners have traditionally been over the age of 50 we request that you do not apply to come on the expedition unless you can provide a Covid vaccination certificate or certificate stating why you cannot be vaccinated.
You can go online to Services Australia to get either:
an immunisation history statement
COVID-19 digital certificate.
Your immunisation history statement shows all the immunisations you’ve had that are on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). The COVID-19 digital certificate only shows your COVID-19 vaccinations. You’ll be able to get your digital certificate after you’ve had all required doses of a vaccine as approved for use in Australia.
Be aware that access to WA can change rapidly and retrospectively, so you will need to assess the risk to being denied access from the state in which you live. It is likely you will need to show proof of vaccination.
The conference programme will feature a workshop on “Water management for wet-meadows under climate change“. The workshop is being organised by Yves Bötsch from the Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU and will take place on the 8th of October. More information about the workshop can be found at: https://www.waderstudygroup.org/conferences/2021-virtual-conference/#2
The IWSG Virtual Conference 2021 is sponsored by Ornitela and Hunan Global Messenger Technology Co., Ltd (HQXS). HQXS is sponsoring the conference by giving away six GSM/GPX transmitters to one conference participant. How can you win all of these transmitters? Please read more at: https://www.waderstudygroup.org/conferences/2021-virtual-conference/#3
July 26, 2021
South Australian Beach-cast Marine Algae Fishery permit up for renewal
The current export permit for the South Australian Beach-cast Marine Algae Fishery is up for renewal to the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. This is the same process that FoSSE was involved in in 2014 – 16, which resulted in FoSSE taking the DEW to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in order to achieve protection for migratory shorebirds. At the time FOSSE was successful in achieving much more protection for both migratory and resident shorebirds than was proposed in the original Assessment but there are still matters that are cause for concern that will be raised in the upcoming commentary period.
Please get in contact with Maureen Christie directly or through the contact us form if you wish to be involved in the group that formally comment on the matter.
May 20, 2021
Stockyard Point catch cancelled
Please note the catch scheduled for May 26 at Stockyard Point has been cancelled due to a lack of trasnport options for equipment at the site. Coastal erosion has washed away so much of the beach that it is no longer possible to get a vehicle down there.
April 21, 2021
Launch of Migratory Shorebird Habitat Directory
On April 21 the Australian Shorebird Habitat Directory was launched – the same day as World Curlew Day. This is a landmark accomplishment for the team, and celebrates thousands of surveys undertaken by volunteers over many years.
This document will be valuable to consultants, NRM managers, teachers, rangers, and anyone involved with planning, assessments, or protected area management. It is hoped this document will lead to better conservation decision-making.
April 16, 2021
Roosting is not relaxing
Andreas Kim has sent through some Victorian sightings from Korea
This is the best high tide roost these godwit could find on April 3 when they arrived in Korea
The first two Bar-tailed Godwit with an orange flag were seen on Aphae Island on April 2nd and 3rd, 1B and ACC, both now seen already for the seventh year at the site. Other ones like HZX and CKX have also returned to the site as well as CY, now seen for the eighth year.
Bar-tailed Godwits AAC & CY in Apheado April 2021
But there were also HVY, P1 and YS which were seen at the site for the first time, but only on one day and they were most likely just making a short stop on their way further north into the Yellow Sea.
Bar-tailed Godwits P1 & YS in Apheado April 2021
Also seen for the first time was an individual with a plain flag on the right tibia and the metal band upside down on the left tibia. Two digits can be seen but a search in the database gave no result. Maybe someone can remember having banded this bird and it is possible to id it – wouldn’t that be great?
Do you know this godwit?
In addition two more, one female one male, with just a plain flag were seen – some older folks still fit for the long migration trips.
Over the years a few broken flags have been seen, but this year on Godwit showed a broken flag with very sharp edged contours that one wonders how this could happen and how the bird does not get injured.
