MLSG

Migrant Landbird Study Group

Promoting collaborative research for migratory landbirds across flyways

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13 - 16 December, Gdansk, Poland

Across the globe migrant birds are confronted by and adapt to climate change and effects of human development during various stages of their life cycles. Afro-Palearctic migrants can serve as indicators of the effects of climate change across Europe and in Africa. While migrant birds know no borders, their continued existence depends on international collaboration of scientists and conservationists. Therefore, we gather in Gdansk as bird researchers from Europe and Africa, to share knowledge, discuss our concerns and explore potential solutions. We aim to generate a better understanding of issues relating to the conservation of migrant birds, as well as to set up collaborative projects on migrant landbird research.

Information about the conference and the preliminary programme are presented below. We encourage participants to offer presentations for the proposed sessions, and to produce posters (in either English or Polish). We welcome suggestions, especially for offers of additional workshops or topics for discussion. Suggestions for workshops and discussion themes can be sent to:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Detailed information on the preliminary program can be found here and below. Please register HERE

Magda Remisiewicz, Les Underhill & Wouter Vansteelant
Conference e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Building an Early Warning System for Biodiversity in the Face of Climate Change:

Migrant Birds as Indicators of Climate Change

A joint conference of the "Birds as Early Warning Systems" of the Poland–South Africa collaboration project, the Migrant Landbird Study Group, and the Polish Network of Bird Ringing Stations (KSSOP)

Dates: 13–16 December 2018,
Place: Gdansk, Sobieszewo, Poland
Venue: Hotel “Orle” Sobieszewo, http://www.orle.com.pl/
Costs Accommodation + meals Thursday afternoon–Sunday morning: 390 PLN (ca 94EURO)
Costs Accommodation + meals Friday afternoon –Sunday morning: 260 PLN (ca 62 EURO)
Conference fee: 50 PLN (ca 12 EURO)

(costs in EURO depend on exchange rate to PLN at the time of the conference)

Conference e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deadlines

Registration, abstracts, and offers of workshops and topic sessions: 15 June 2018
Confirmation of acceptance of presentations from organisers: 30 July 2018
Deadline for payments: 31 October 2018

Organisers:

Bird Migration Research Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Poland
Operation Baltic Foundation, Gdańsk, Poland en.sbwp.ug.edu.pl
Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa www.adu.uct.ac.za 
Migrant Landbird Study Group, Bennekom, the Netherlands www.migrantlandbirds.org

Preliminary programme

Thursday 13 December 2018

afternoon: arrival of participants (check-in from 3 p.m.)
registration
dinner
social meeting at the venue

Friday 14 December 2018

breakfast
registration
morning: MLSG workshops (in English) 

1. Visualizing GPS tracking data in R, by Wouter Vansteelant
2. Visualizing geolocator data in R, by Lykke Pedersen
3. Networking across flyways, by Rien van Wijk
lunch

afternoon: MLSG presentations (in English)
– speed talks from participants
– slide shows (e.g. presentations from fieldwork and expeditions)

dinner at the venue
social meeting at the venue

Saturday 15 December 2018

breakfast

morning:

Migrant Birds as Indicators of Climate Changeco-chairs: Magda Remisiewicz & Les Underhill (in English)

lunch

afternoon: parallel sessions:

African Bird Atlaschair: Les Underhill (in English) – As background to this session, please read: https://theconversation.com/why-a-proper-record-of-birds-in-africa-is-so-important-for-europe-85111

Annual meeting of the Polish Network of Bird Ringing Stations (KSSOP)chair: Jarosław Nowakowski (in Polish)

dinner
social evening – pub/disco at the conference venue

Sunday 16 December 2018

breakfast

morning:

official closing of the main part of conference (in English)
check-out by 11 a.m.
departure of some delegates

meetings of working groups:
– internal meeting of the organisers of the Polish network KSSOP (in Polish)
– MLSG topic group meetings (in English)

lunch (optional, not included in the conference package)

afternoon (optional):
birdwatching trip to the nearby Baltic coast (wintering waterbirds and passerines) (in English)
opportunity for individual sightseeing in Gdansk (40 min by city bus to Gdansk Old City)
additional meetings in topic groups

departure of delegates
dinner (optional, not included in the conference package)

The hotel offers option to stay until Monday or longer, to be arranged individually with the hotel reception.