AEWA takes part in the biggest birdwatching event in the world

The biggest birdwatching event in the world, the "British Birdwatching Fair", opened its doors on Friday, 21 August 2009 at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, near Oakham, England.

This year there were over 300 different organisations and companies exhibiting – a truly international gathering representing bird and wildlife interest from almost every corner of the globe. Under the exhibitors were, inter alia, BirdLife International, RSPB, Leica, Canon, Naturetrek and many others. This year, AEWA was present at this event for the first time.

AEWA was represented at the British Birdfair with an information stand, where Bert Lenten, Marie-Therese Kämper and Dunia Sforzin from the AEWA Secretariat informed visitors about the conservation activities regarding migratory birds carried out under AEWA and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Exhibitors were welcomed to the Birdfair by small flocks of geese, which were landing in the lakes at the Rutland Nature Water Reserve. This area provides perfect foraging conditions for migrant waders, plovers, cormorants and many other waterbird species. Next to greenshanks, curlew sandpipers, oystercatchers or whrimbels; the black-tailed godwit had also been recorded.

The Birdfair supports the BirdLife's Preventing Extinctions Programme and special attention was drawn to the 45 Critically Endangered bird species for which there is no clear evidence of whether they still exist. One of these species is the Slender-billed Curlew, which is also protected under AEWA. The representatives of the AEWA Secretariat and the Slender-billed Curlew Working Group drew particular attention to this species at their respective stands.

 

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