FOR THE BIRDS

Sally Blundell wrote an

excellent article on the plight of our shorebirds and seabirds (“Wing & a prayer”, November 2), and the effect of the removal by South Korea and China of large areas of Yellow Sea mudflats where migratory species such as bar-tailed godwits, red knots and great knots stop to refuel on their long flights north to their breeding grounds.

She identified the recent good news about China announcing a stop to all major commercial reclamation projects on the coast, unless for urgent national interest. Also, that North Korea has

come on board with important conservation initiatives.

What is not widely known is the important role that Winston Peters played in the protection of these mudflats. In 2007, a group of ornithologists learnt that Peters, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, had announced his intention to visit North Korea. The ornithologists approached him and asked if he could raise the issue of the importance of the North Korean mudflats for migratory waders.

I understand that he said to the group that he couldn’t promise anything but would see what he could do. The result was that in 2009, a team from the Miranda Naturalists’ Trust (now Pūkorokoro Miranda Naturalists’ Trust) visited North Korea and were able to begin to survey migratory birds along an area of the country’s west coast.

These surveys have continued and have played an important role in highlighting the significance of this part of the world to our migratory waders.

Warren Jowett (Dunedin)