The Amazing Journey

This summer, scientists from ACBK (BirdLife in Kazakhstan) have been monitoring Sociable Lapwings again at their main study site in central Kazakhstan for the seventh year of a long term research project supported by RSPB, BirdLife International, Swarovski Optik and The UK Governments’ Darwin Initiative.

In addition to the eyewitness reports we’ve received confirming Sociable Lapwing migration is now well underway; Abaj, Dina and Dana, three of the four birds we are satellite-tracking this autumn, have also begun their post-breeding migrations.

In order to increase our monitoring capability, two further female Sociable Lapwings were trapped and fitted with satellite-tracking devices in Central Kazakhstan this spring.

Watch this extraordinary video of Dr. Rob Sheldon and Maxim Koshkin fitting one of the new satellite tracking devices to Alia in June 2010.

Maxim Koshkin – Conservation Project Leader for ACBK in Kazhakstan – kicks off the Amazing Journey with a report on the catching and satellite-tagging of eight Sociable Lapwings on their breeding grounds in late May, 2010.

Maxim Koskin is the Sociable Lapwing Conservation Project Leader at ACBK.