Less than two months after hatching, the tiny Spoon-billed Sandpiper begins the long journey from Russia’s arctic tundra to the coast of China. No guide, no map, no GPS. But the baby birds instinctively know exactly where to go: to the mudflats of Jiangsu province. Unfortunately, industry and reclamation threaten the birds’ habitats. Spoon-billed Sandpipers are one of the most threatened species in the world, with fewer than 100 remaining. Join us as Wendy Paulson, conservationist, birder, teacher, shares her encounters with this fascinating bird and how a growing environmental movement in China might ensure its future.
Wendy Paulson’s career has been in education and conservation action. She taught in both public and private schools and helped start programs of classes about birds in New York City and Chicago public schools (still teaching in the latter) and chairs the Bobolink Foundation which focuses on biodiversity conservation. She serves as trustee or adviser for multiple conservation organizations, both domestic and international. Wendy has led bird walks for over 40 years – in Illinois, New York City, and Washington, DC – and is a longtime participant in native grassland restoration. She values her friendships with conservationists in China who are committed to the protection of migrating shorebirds.
