Arrival to the study place – The Belyaka Spit, 21 May 2010.

There are two known present breeding locations of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. One is Belaya Spit, Northern Koliuchinskaya Gulf, Chukotsky Peninsula, Russia and it is our study area. Results of wader study expedition of 2009 tells undoubtedly that PRACTICAL STEPS TO SAVE THE SPOON-BILLED SANDPIPER FROM EXTINCTION ARE TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY. This project is suggesting capturing and shooting of territorial Arctic Foxes within the Belyaka Spit. Territories suitable for Spoon-billed Sandpiper nesting are to be searched thoroughly from early June until the end of July 2010. While searching ornithologists must make local hunters able to recognize the species in a wild and to oblige hunters to record every case of Spoon-billed Sandpiper observation.

As soon as SBS nests will be found we’ll immediately start 24-hour patrolling of the territories in the vicinity of nests and further of brood-rearing territories until fledging of young. We’ll strictly cut off presence of any mammals that could be prospective predators – unleashed dogs, Arctic foxes, bears, deer and humans not involved in the project. We’ll try to drive migrating jaegers and gulls away from territories surrounding Spoon-billed Sandpiper nests. All observations on nests and broods will be done from distance of 50+ m.