World Migratory Bird Day 2011, in Incheon, South Korea

To mark World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), the EAAFP Secretariat invited Incheon city officials with their children, totaling 80 people, to a Waterbird Watching & Education Program. The program was held on 5 May 2011 coinciding with a national holiday in Korea – Children’s Day. A half day program was designed to promote awareness of tidal flats in the region as an important habitat for migratory waterbirds and to stimulate public efforts to conserve them for the future. Incheon City includes significant areas important for migratory waterbirds such as Songdo, South part of Yeongjong Island, and South part of Ganghwa Island. After a welcoming speech by the Chief Executive, the Science Officer explained about waterbirds and threats along their journey, highlighting the theme “Land use changes from a bird’s-eye view”. After the lecture, the Science Officer and three invited bird guides from a University Bird Watching Club led the excursion. Participants visited Namdong Reservoir to observe nesting Black-faced Spoonbills and Yeongjong Island to observe shorebirds roosting during stopover (2-3 weeks) before their continued northward migration. The Science Officer showed a dead godwit that apparently had struck overhead electricity wires next to a roost – a sobering reminder of the many hazards to successful migration. The Partnership tries to encourage national and local governments to promote WMBD activities to raise public awareness of the importance of migratory waterbirds and protecting their habitats for future generations. [27/05/11]