15 June 2016
Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Egg collection at Meinypil’gyno is underway and another headstarted bird has been spotted – White E7, headstarted just last year.

The first eggs required for the headstarting programme were collected a couple of days ago, on 13 June. Three clutches have been collected so far totalling 11 eggs. So Thermometer Watch 2016 is underway! Monitoring incubator temperature isn’t quite as simple as it might sound. The temperature inside an incubator can vary significantly between different areas (depending on the incubator type and model) and even calibrated thermometers often don’t agree with each other. Roland will be using different types of thermometers and positioning them throughout the incubators. All the temperature readings will be carefully watched and recorded to closely monitor the conditions being provided for these precious eggs.

And it doesn’t stop there. Room temperature must also be controlled and monitored – an incubator on the same temperature setting will run at a higher temperature in a warm room than in a cold room. Considering the warm conditions experienced so far in Meinypil’gyno, the portable air conditioner, a vital part of the aviculture kit, will have whirred into action providing a cool, stable room temperature in the (so far) peaceful incubation room.

First egg collection of the 2016 expedition, 13 June 2016.

And in other news, White E7, a male Spoon-billed Sandpiper headstarted in 2015, has been spotted at Meinypil’gyno (photo below). Egor, Pavel and Nikolai observed the bird yesterday in the company of a female who is marked with a light green leg-flag. Unfortunately, the flag couldn’t be read but hopefully the team will get another chance to confirm the female’s identity. Could it be Light green 02, the female half of the famous Monument pair? Or perhaps Light green 8, the most prolific headstarted female to date? We’ll let you know!

White E7 (headstarted in 2015) back at the breeding grounds in Meinypil’gyno, 14 June 2016. Photo by Egor Loktionov.

For those of you keen for news on the Slimbridge eggs, there’s nothing to report yet. The eggs haven’t been candled yet so are still of unknown fertility. Watch this space (and keep everything crossed)…

Original post: http://www.saving-spoon-billed-sandpiper.com/2016/06/expeditions/news-from-the-field-first-eggs-collected-in-russia/

To visit the EAAFP Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force  web page, click here.

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