The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. Chris Hassell, Adrian Boyle and Matt Slaymaker post regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the third of this season.
In short, the team reports that it has been a busy week in Bohai with early mornings, lots of people and loads of birds. They did a shorebird count of the whole study site coastline and nearby salt ponds, and of course spent long hours re-sighting. This time they also report on an invasion of human visitors to the coast:
Drew, Leiming, Tong and Hebo, together with a large team of volunteers, joined to work on their various projects, and of course Theunis was there!

Also Katherine Leung from Hong Kong joined for a week’s scanning. Scott Weidensaul from the USA spent a few days with the team and Terry Townshend dropped by for a weekend.
Hank and Wendy Paulson spent a morning birding on the sea wall and surrounding area. The Paulson Institute has been influential in helping to attain Nature Reserve status for Nanpu mudflats and the birds behaved impeccably for their visit!
And there is a competition! With a prize for the 1st mail to Chris Hassell with the correct subspecies of a Mai Po – Hong Kong re-sighting (photo in report).
For an overview of this season’s reports go here.