Spoon-billed Sandpiper Tour in Gulf of Mottama

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a long distance migrant, breeding on the coastal tundra of far eastern Russia, and migrating 8,000 km south along the East-Asian Australasian Flyway, including key staging posts in the Yellow Sea. The species winters on inter-tidal mudflats in South and South-east Asia, particularly Myanmar, China and Bangladesh. The demographic driver of the recent population decline appears to be extremely low juvenile survival with few birds recruited back into the breeding population. Young birds generally do not return to the breeding grounds until the second year. The major cause of juvenile mortality is believed to be trapping and hunting, primarily on the wintering grounds, and notably in Myanmar, China and Bangladesh. That is the highest category of extinction threat for any species still present in the wild. In 2010, it was assessed that at the current rate of population decline this species could become extinct within a decade.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper is regular wintering in Myanmar. There has four main wintering sites (Gulf of Mottama, Nanthar, Ayawaddy Delta and Myeik&BokePyin mudflat). Highest wintering numbers can be seen in Gulf of Mottama (approx. 50%) of global population and Nanthar Island (approx. 23-25) annually.

• Seen one of the largest inter tidal mudflat in Asia.
• Livelihoods of coastal community
• Migratory shore birds wintering status
• Tidal bore up to 7 meters high
• Ecosystems of Mottama Gulf
• About Community efforts in conservation.
• Learn wetland education centre
• Ancient city of Mon Kingdom
• Famous pagoda in Myanmar
• Culture of local people

The Gulf of Mottama, covering an area within a straight line between the southern point of Pyapon township in Ayeyarwady Region and the southern point of Mudon township in Mon State, is one of the world’s most dynamic wetland. It is a large and generally undisturbed funnel-shaped estuary with extensive tidal flats which receive constant mass of sediments from Ayeyarwady, Sittaung and Thanlwin rivers. Its tidal cycle is extremely pronounced in speed and amplitude causing a powerful bore phenomenon.The highly productive intertidal mudflats support over 150,000 water birds, of which 12 are globally threatened according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Gulf of Mottama (GoM) acts as nutrient sink providing spawning and nursery grounds for aquatic species beyond the Gulf and far into the Bay of Bengal. A great number of populations of over 150 villages depend upon the Gulf for their livelihoods and food security such as small-scale and commercial fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture.

Option 1: (5 Days trip)
• Day 1: Arrival Yangon International Airport (if arrival on Morning and Afternoon) The visitors can check in Hotel, During the evening will visits to Shwedagone Pagoda (Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhasof the present kalpa. These relics include the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa, and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama). After the visited Pagoda, the visitors can visits to Downtown of Yangon, there has many historical places and colonial time buildings. Dinner Time and back to Hotel.
• Day 2: Early Morning, leave to Mawlamyineformerly Moulmein, is the fourth largest city of Myanmar (Burma), 300 km south east of Yangon and 70 km south of Thaton, at the mouth of Thanlwin (Salween) River. The city is the capital and largest city of Mon State, Myanmar and is the main trading center and seaport in south eastern Myanmar.Mawlamyine was the first capital of British Burma between 1826 and 1852 after the Tanintharyi (Tenassarim) coast, along with Arakan, was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Yandabo at the end of the First Anglo-Burmese War^[5 (322 km from Yangon)/5.5 hr driving time. One the half way, have a lunch and visits EESCcentre near the Gulf of Mottama. Can see many wetlands and migratory information at there. Reach to Mawlamyine in evening around 4:30-5:00 PM. At the stand road of Mawlamyine, can see Brown-headed Gulls feeding time during the high tide during the sunset. Check in Hotel. Dinner at the Night Market of Mawlamyine and visits historical pagoda (when established Mon Kingdom)
 
• Day 3:  Morning Leaving to Ahlat village (Paung Township) 1.5hr drive back to Yangon-Mawlamyine Way. (Depend on Tide). When the tide is arrive the shore line, can observe Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other shore birds. Lunch will be in village traditional Mon-Bamar Ethnic food and interviews with local community and conservation Groups. If Hide tide is in evening, the team should be leave on around 9-10AM. In evening back to hotel and Dinner at Night Market.
• Day 4: Morning Leaving to Ahlat village (Paung Township) 1.5hr drive back to Yangon-Mawlamyine Way. (Depend on Tide). When the tide is arrive the shore line, can observe Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other shore birds. Lunch will be in village traditional Mon-Bamar Ethnic food and interviews with local community and conservation Groups. Check in EESCBilin Township.
• Day 5: Early Morning, leaving to Kyaikhteeyo Pagoda. Can be reach there at the top of Mountain around 10AM. Visits there and back to Yangon on 2:00PM. Lunch will be on the way to Yangon around 12:30PM. Check in Hotel in Yangon and flyway on Next day.

Option 2: (7 Days trip)
• Day 1: Arrival Yangon International Airport (if arrival on Morning and Afternoon) The visitors can check in Hotel, During the evening will visits to Shwedagone Pagoda (Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhasof the present kalpa. These relics include the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa, and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama). After the visited Pagoda, the visitors can visits to Downtown of Yangon, there has many historical places and colonial time buildings. Dinner Time and back to Hotel.
• Day 2: Early Morning, leave to BilinEESCcentre (180km from Yangon/3.5hr driving). Reach there noon time and have a lunch. Then take an hour rest and observe wetlands information at EESC. In evening the visitors leave to coastal village (Koe Tae Su) 6km from EESC. Waiting the tide and move to the open sea. Dinner on the boat when the falling tide and the boats are struck on mudflat. During the night time, if the full moon days, can be seen bright color of the moon and hear the nature sound of shore bird, water current in the small creek and channel, Cicadas etc.
• Day 3-5: Everyday, when the falling tide, the visitors can start the shorebird watching activities in different direction with the guidance of experts. Every evening, the team can doing observe bird list on the boats and discuss findings. During the trip, the visitors are stay on the boat as hotels. No toilets on the boat. Someday can be seen tidal bore during the high tide and hear the sound.
• Day 6: Return back to EESC and overnight there. (Depends on tide)
• Day 7: Early Morning, leaving to Kyaikhteeyo Pagoda. Can be reach there at the top of Mountain around 10AM. Visits there and back to Yangon on 2:00PM. Lunch will be on the way to Yangon around 12:30PM. Check in Hotel in Yangon and flyway on Next day.