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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> General 一般問題 >>  APMW - Yellow Sea 2004 shorebird counts
        
(Message started by: Project Officer on May 24^th, 2004, 9:28am)

Title: APMW - Yellow Sea 2004 shorebird counts
Post by Project Officer on May 24^th, 2004, 9:28am

For members' interest.

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Barter
To: APMW Listserver
Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2004 12:43 PM
Subject: [APMW] Yellow Sea 2004 shorebird counts

The Australasian Wader Studies Group, in conjunction with Wetlands International – China, has just completed the eighth year of training, surveying and shorebird counting activities in the Chinese part of the Yellow Sea during northward migration. This year we revisited Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve, and then moved on to survey new regions in northern Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces.

The activities were carried out as part of the Asia-Pacific Shorebird Action Plan funded by the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage. Brief count results and observations follow:

YALU JIANG NNR (39d 50m N; 123d 48m E) – 20 to 25 April 2004.

Complete coastline of the Nature Reserve – 55 km - adjacent to the border with North Korea: 166,471 shorebirds of 32 species, including internationally important numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit (66,134), Eurasian Curlew (13,136), Eastern Curlew (3,874), Great Knot (32,880), Dunlin (34,841) and Grey Plover (4,628).

N JIANGSU (34d 42m N; 119d 14m E) – 29 April to 2 May 2004.

Saltworks east and west of Lianyungang, and 20 km of coastline N to Shandong border: 33,628 shorebirds of 27 species, including internationally important numbers of Spotted Redshank (1,054), Marsh Sandpiper (1,010), Great Knot (6,700), Red-necked Stint (8,041) and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (1,653).

JIAOZHOU WAN (36d 12m N; 120d 09m E) – 3 to 4 May 2004.

In Shandong Province, near Qingdao – 40 km of coastline plus saltworks: 19,286 shorebirds of 19 species, including internationally important numbers of Spotted Redshank (960), Marsh Sandpiper (1,283), Curlew Sandpiper (2,512) and Red-necked Stint (7,570).

LAIZHOU WAN (37d 12m N; 119d 10m E) – 6 to 10 May 2004.

In Shandong Province, S of Yellow River delta – 100 km of coastline plus saltworks: 53,463 shorebirds of 20 species, including internationally important numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit (25,961), Grey Plover (5,801) and Lesser Sand Plover (877).

OBSERVATIONS
The Yalu Jiang count was the third, and highest, conducted to date – all at different times during northward migration. Of particular interest in this year’s results were the very large numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit. It was estimated that more than 95% were of the baueri subspecies, implying that in excess of 50% of the breeding population of this subspecies was present in the Reserve during the survey. Similarly, more than 50% of the breeding population of the orientalis subspecies of the Eurasian Curlew was also present. We found a large flock of Little Curlew (1,180) – only the third large concentration of this species yet discovered on northward migration in China.

Counts in the saltworks in N Jiangsu and Jiaozhou Wan confirmed the great importance of these man-made habitats for species such as Spotted Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

The large numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit found in Laizhou Wan appeared to be mainly of the menzbieri subspecies. We also encountered in this area some of the largest concentrations of Lesser Sand Plovers seen so far in China.

We believe the Yalu Jiang shorebird count accurately estimated numbers present, whilst those in N Jiangsu, Jiaozhou Wan and Laizhou Wan were probably significant underestimates of shorebird numbers in these regions.

Summaries of the counts are available in Excel files (four files totaling 280 KB). Please let me know if you would like to have copies.

Mark Barter