We used geolocators recording ambient light, conductivity and wet/dry conditions to study the migration of Little Ringed Plovers Thinornis dubius breeding in the Netherlands. Little Ringed Plovers breeding in western Europe mostly migrate in the autumn towards the inner Niger delta in western Africa, mainly using stopover sites around the Mediterranean Sea. Conductivity data indicate that these autumn stopover sites are saline or brackish habitats, suggesting that saline coastal marshes or manmade saline aquatic habitats (saltworks) are important stopover habitats for Little Ringed Plovers. The timing of the spring migration coincides with the spring equinox (preventing accurate geolocator fixes); therefore we could not locate stopover sites in spring. However, we were able to use the conductivity data to infer the timing of the spring stopover sites and migration. We found that migrating Little Ringed Plovers spent 15% (females) or 17% (males) of their time in saline aquatic habitats.

A decline of 57% in the breeding population of Dotterel Charadrius morinellus in Scotland was reported between 1987–88 and 2011. Recent surveys of Dotterel on hills in the stronghold in north-east Scotland have recorded variable numbers of breeding Dotterel. In 2023, a coordinated and standardised survey in the eastern Cairngorms was undertaken covering five sites. The survey confirmed that Dotterel are still passing through the eastern Cairngorms and breeding successfully on formerly occupied low as well as high hills. However, Dotterel were absent from some previously occupied sites. The total number of birds recorded in the pre-breeding season and the density of breeding males across the survey area did not suggest a widespread decline in the area. Rather, it indicated that breeding Dotterel numbers were variable across sites with some sites holding high numbers and others none. Where it occurred, breeding was successful with many broods reared to at least near fledging. The possible reasons for these changes in Dotterel numbers and breeding success are discussed. These results have implications for future survey work.

The Upland Sandpiper is one of many shorebird species that can be captured through their heightened response to recorded chick calls. Here we describe methods to catch adult Upland Sandpipers during brood rearing using mist nets and recorded chick vocalizations. We found this technique especially useful when studying the species in its northern breeding range, where continuous daylight during the breeding season prevents the use of night-lighting. This method is also useful when time or capacity does not allow nest searching and subsequent captures of incubating adults. However, it requires successful nests, and therefore only samples a subset of the breeding birds in the landscape (i.e., the birds that did not fail during incubation). We had no known cases of injury, mortality, or brood abandonment when using this technique.

Migratory waterbirds depend on networks of wetlands during their seasonal migrations between breeding grounds and nonbreeding areas. The Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, is one such site that migratory waterbirds of the East Atlantic Flyway heavily rely on as a nonbreeding area. Based on yearly systematic counts that started in 2003 at the Iwik peninsula of Banc d’Arguin, we evaluated temporal changes in the numbers of waterbirds, including shorebirds, wading birds, pelicans, cormorants, gulls and terns, over a period of 21 years. Overall, after a decade (2003-2012) of strong declines in both the total numbers of all waterbirds and shorebirds, numbers of both groups became more stable (2013–2023). Local breeding populations of large-bodied fish-eating waterbirds increased during most of the study period but showed sudden declines over the last two years, possibly related to exposure to Avian Influenza. Numbers of gulls and terns were generally stable. Among the shorebirds, numbers of the plover species were stable, Red Knot numbers became stable after a decade of decline, but Bar-tailed Godwits showed a continued decline. Whimbrel was the only shorebird species that showed a steady and significant local increase. This study indicates that small-scale, regular counting of waterbirds is a useful addition to synoptic flyway-scale count efforts in monitoring long-term population trends.