This weekend I will be participating in the 43rd International Waterbird Census (IWC). Armed with a pair of binos, a pencil and a count form, I'll be counting waterbirds (stop laughing Candice) on the Dutch coast. The IWC is a look-see survey, where volunteers visit a site and make a count of every waterbird species on that particular site. I'll be assisting experienced counters of Avifauna Groningen, the birding association of the province of Groningen that I recently joined.

Every year thousands of volunteers count millions of waterbirds, in more than a hundred countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.  All the data in the Netherlands is collected by SOVON , the Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology and sent to Wetlands International. Wetland International provides information on the global state of the birds and analyses changes in the population.

The results of the International Waterbird Census have been used in the designation of nearly half of the Wetlands of International Importance. The IWC also provides strategic input for other organisations like the Red Data Book of IUCN and Birdlife International’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme.

I will of course tell you all about my adventures on the dike of Noordpolderzijl when I get back.

• 04/02/2012 15:25 - WINNER OF THE DECEMBER 2011 TOTW!
• 04/02/2012 15:15 - TOTW
• 28/01/2012 13:19 - TOTW
• 23/01/2012 15:09 - FBOTW
• 21/01/2012 13:38 - TOTW
• 19/01/2012 12:10 - latest news from the little rahab center; Jake's story...
• 13/01/2012 10:39 - TOTW
• 10/01/2012 12:29 - Vote for the December 2011 TOTW winner!