Speaking at Bangladesh Independence Day Celebrations

Spoon-billed Sandpiper on Sonadia Island, Bangladesh

Sonadia Island
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

I am really proud of my Bangladeshi heritage.  It means a lot to me and knowing about Bangladeshi wildlife and conservation projects is important.

On 26 March 1971, 45 years ago today, Sheikh Mujib, declared Bangladesh an independent country.  The war was not won until November that year, but the birth of the nation is celebrated on this date.

The Bangladeshi students at University of the West of England (UWE) have a Bangladeshi Students' Group and were holding a celebration of independence.

First we heard a speakers talking about their memories of the war, their fear of being killed in the massacres and the tactics used by General Usmani (who was trained in the British Army) to win the war.  It was interesting that Bangladeshi's knowledge of their nature, rivers and habitats were used to help win the war.  I had never really heard anyone talk about this.

Sayam U Chowdhury a prominent Bangladeshi conservationist who runs
the Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project 

I gave a talk called "Celebrating Bangladesh's Spoon-billed Sandpiper".  I talked about Sayam U Chowdhury and his brilliant Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project, visiting the Spoon-billed Sandpipers with Sayam at the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Slimbridge, my trip to Sonadia Island to survey Spoon-billed Sandpiper with the project and the importance of media publicity.

Mohammed Foysal and Sakib Ahmed from theBangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Sakib Ahmed and Mohammed Foysal from the
Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, Sakib Ahmed and Mohammed Foysal from the
Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig and Mohammed Foysal from the
Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with local children and the
Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

I also talked about the World Shorebirds Day project and the Spoon-billed Sandpiper being one of it's nominated birds.

I mentioned the talk I gave in Dhaka but this was the first time I had spoken to Bangladeshi's in the UK.  People talk me afterwards how interesting it was to hear about one of their own birds, that they didn't know about.  There were also quite a few children in the audience, who seemed to stop fidgeting when I started talking.

It was great to be able to talk about committed conservationists in Bangladesh like Sayam U Chowdhury and those working for his like Mohammed Foysal and Sakib Ahmed.  They are a fantastic inspiration and I am really lucky to have met them and been allowed to survey Bangladesh's Spoon-billed Sandpiper with them.  I am sure that the audience were proud to learn that Bangladeshi conservationists were influencing not only those in Bangladesh but also conservationists across the world.

Quite a few of the Bangladeshi students were studying law and all talked about it being a high earning profession in Bangladeshi.  Mum (who was a partner in a law firm) and I talked to them about how important it was that they were committed to saving the environment and promoting human rights when they return, as the country was relying on them. I'm not sure that they will but maybe I will have sparked an interest. 

About the Writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, activist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and Penguins in Antarctica over Christmas 2015, her 7th continent. 

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Birdgirl’s Favourite Blog Posts of 2015

Please watch my 90 second video about seeing amazing Mountain Gorillas in Uganda.  There were a highlight of of the year but not the blog itself:

youtu.be/abuqEr6KnnA

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with a silverback Mountain Gorilla

I have loved blogging during 2015 and looking back I thought I’d post my favourite ones.  When I started looking at the posts, there were so many and so much variety, it was really hard to choose.  In the end, I had posted 247 times during 2015, which is just plain crazy.  For 2016, I’m going to try and keep it averaging at about one a week, with more when I'm abroad, so that I can concentrate on school work.

Here the final list:

1.     Big Garden Birdwatch – 28/012015 - http://bit.ly/1yPFQLk

This is THE birding event of the year and so had to be included. Every year the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as the public to watch their garden birds for an hour and record what they see.  In 2015 over 8.5 million birds were recorded. 

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig taking part in Big Garden Birdwatch

2.     Bangladesh Trip 18^th Feb 2015, The Spoon-billed Sandpiper Day 5, Part 2 – 18/02/2015 - http://bit.ly/23wjhtL

The is about finally seeing a Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a hugely rare and stunning bird.  Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a project that is really important to me.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with Mohamed Foysal and Sakib Ahmed Sonadia Island, Bangladesh

3.     What kind of world would I vote for? A GM free one – 02/05/2015 - http://bit.ly/1QeZqFL

This is a subject that I feel very strongly about.  I think it’s terrible that we can have GMO in our food without it being labelled.  If there was one post I would urge you to read, it’s this one.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

4.     A Mega Twitch, Citril Finch, Norfolk – 10/05/2015 – http://bit.ly/1JbHw6s

I think the reason this twitch was great, was it had everything going for a good story. First it was a MEGA RARITY.  I had been away on Scout survival camp and had no sleep then I wrote, “I should have know something was up, when Mum appeared to pick us up right on time.  Mum is never on time.”  We dashed home and Dad got us to Norfolk for late afternoon.  It was a little walk to the bird and the whole world was walking towards us, helpfully grinning and telling us that the bird was still there.  We saw the bird pretty quickly but knew it was touch and go, as within about 20 minutes it had disappeared.  I felt loads of relief.   Lee Evans was there adding some drama and so were a few friends that we hadn’t seen for ages (like Mike Edgecombe OBC Chair).  Then we stopped at the home of some world birding friends, which is always great and had a late night getting home.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

5.     30 Days Wild, Day 13 examining Brian and meeting Bill Oddie – 13/06/2015 http://bit.ly/1QWcxvZ

This was an initiative from The Wildlife Trusts to get people doing something wild everyday in their normal lives during the month of June. I decided to take part for the month and on this day I went to the Festival of Nature in Bristol and used a camera for tiny objects, like a snail (Brian).  I also heard Bill Oddie speak and met him afterwards. He was really lovely to me, showed me genuine interest and was just kind.  I was a big fan anyway, but am now his top fan.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with Bill Oddie

6.     Camp Avalon - 21 Jun 2015, Ringing – 15/07/2015 - http://bit.ly/1K87IOU

Camp Avalon was a young birders’ weekend camp that I organised on the Somerset Levels last summer.  I worked hard to make it ethnically diverse and 5 boys came from inner city Bristol.  I loved this session because everyone connected with the birds and that was lovely to see.  Camp Avalon will be running again this year on 15-17 July 2016 and so get in touch if you or someone you know wants to come.

7.     No More Hunting with Dogs, Parts 1-3, Meeting my Conservative MP, Letter to my MP, To Mr Rees-Mogg, I am Fox  – 11,12,13/06/2015, 08,12,13/07/2015,  - http://bit.ly/1f5sIvj, http://bit.ly/1IAm4H0, http://bit.ly/1KP3XQf, http://bit.ly/1K0ADUZ and http://bit.ly/1PIHzMS, http://bit.ly/1I1E0NW

I know these are strictly 6 posts, but fox hunting is something I hate.  My conservative MP is in  favour of bringing back hunting with dogs and so I went to see him, heard his arguments, did my research, wrote explaining why his arguments sucked and then did a video message to him two days before a vote was due in the House of Commons.  I was really proud as he actually “favourited” my tweeted video, which I do respect him for, as most people would have ignored it.

Fox killed by hounds

8.    East Africa - Day 32, Seeing my 4000th bird species in Kenya – 23/08/2015 - http://bit.ly/1OSUjgn

How could I not include the excitement of my 4000^th bird species? It was a Red-throated Tit, which I saw on my first day in Kenya at Swaro Plains just south of Nairobi.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig photographing Red-throated Tit, Swaro Plains, Kenya

9.   Bristol Climate Change March – 29/11/15 – http://bit.ly/1ZXfukC

This year has been such an Amazing year for me.  I live near Bristol, a centre for Nature TV production and green organisations, which I am really proud of.  2015 Bristol was European Green Capital, a huge thing.  There are lots of famous Ambassadors but they chose me as well.  It was the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris in December and cities around the world held marches and rallies.  I was asked by Bristol Greenpeace to address the rally in Bristol, which was unbelievable.  It was a really important event with 785,000 marching around the world.

This was my speech addressing the rally, which was amazing having people cheering me through my speech (sorry about the rubbish sound):

http://youtu.be/elKe2vsb3hg

Bristol Climate Change Rally 29 Nov 2015

10.   Antarctica Voyage Day 6, 24 Dec 2015 – Graham Passage, Danco Island, camping on Leigh Cove and seeing an Emperor Penguin – 25/12/2015 - http://bit.ly/1NE3ZY6

I think this was the best day of our trip, everywhere we went was beautiful, with lots of ice, whales and seals.  Then we successfully twitched an Emperor Penguin, which is really rare away from their breeding site on the Weddell Sea.  We really couldn’t believe our luck.  After all of that, we camped out on ice in a stunning location.  It was 2 nights after summer solstice and so the sky was beautiful all night.  It’s an experience I will never forget.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig camping on Leith Cove, Antarctica at midlnight

Leith Cove, Antarctica at 2 am

About the Writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, activist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and Penguins in Antarctica over Christmas 2015, her 7th continent. 

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

The Article in the OBC Magazine about my trip to Bangladesh

I made a trip in February 2015 to Bangladesh, to survey the rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper that winter on Sonadia Island, give a talk in Dhaka and raise the profile of the birds through the Bangladesh media.  The trip was important to me as I am half Bangladeshi and also because I am the Ambassador for World Shorebird Day, a wader charity.

My trip was supported by the Bangladesh Bird Club, many of whom attended my talk in Dhaka.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig with Bangladesh Bird Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

The Oriental Bird Club (OBC) then published an article about my trip in their June 2015 Magazine, Birding Asia.  I felt extremely proud to have an article published in the OBC Magazine, which is extremely highly regarded. 

Article in June 2015 OBC Birding Asia Magazine

About the Writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. 

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

World Shorebirds Day - 4, 5, 6 Sept 2015 - How the day went

As well as being a young birder and conservationist, I am also Ambassador for World Shorebirds Day.

I have chosen to champion World Shorebirds Day because it is an organisation that each September celebrates waders (shorebirds) and those trying to conserve them. Waders often migrate long distances along nine flyways worldwide. They stop off to rest in different places along the flyways, making them vulnerable. World Shorebirds Day has been set up to show how important bird surveying is so that people who don’t normally count birds can improve and that the number involved worldwide increases.

Young Birder Mya-Rose on Sonadia Island, Bangladesh looking at waders
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

I have a real connection and love of waders. They are my dad’s favorite bird groups and through years of watching and studying them, he is amazing at identifying them. That love for waders has rubbed off on me.

On Sunday 6 September 2015, World Shorebirds Day, I had woken up in a hotel in Derbyshire.  We had been in Cambridge the day before, for the Oriental Bird Club AGM. After dinner with a few other people, we set off driving north. We had trouble finding anywhere to stay and I thought we might end up sleeping in the car again (that's a whole other story!).  

In the morning, Dad drove us to Spurn, where we looked for a Black Stork that had been there a few weeks.  As we had been away in East Africa, this was my first chance to try and see it.  That would be a new British bird for me and if I saw it, would be my 450th.  However, it was not to be and by 1 pm we arrived at the Spurn Migfest.  I didn't bump into any Next Generation Birders (NGB) there, who had been around, but did get brilliant views of a Barred Warbler and more importantly, we saw it within 2 minutes of coming out of the barn.

Then it was time for me to do my wader count for World Shorebird Day.  I checked out a couple of pools and my wader count  was the following, of which the Ruff was my favourate:

• 1 Greenshank
• 890 Redshank
• 1 Green Sandpiper
• 200 Dunlin
• 2 Black-tailed Godwit
• 16 Lapwing
• 1 Turnstone
• 2 Ringed Plover
• 1 Ruff

It would be really great if we can increase the numbers taking part and make it the first huge global birding event.

World Shorebird Day Project, South Korea
Photograph taken by and copyright Eugene Cheah

World Shorebird Day Project, South Korea
Photograph taken by and copyright Eugene Cheah

In Bangladesh they made it into a huge events, involving lots of school children and t-shirts for everyone.  In a poor country like Bangladesh, new t-shirts are sought after and I'm sure they will be worn a lot, reminding the children of the day and the importance of looking after waders.

World Shorebird Day Project, Bangladesh
Photograph taken by and copyright Mohsin Kabir Miron

The events in Bangladesh were inspiring and it would be great if they could be replicated next year across the globe. First we need to raise money for t-shirts and people to get enthused about the project, maybe through the Neotropic, African and Oriental Bird Clubs.

World Shorebird Day Project, Bangladesh
Photograph taken by and copyright Mohsin Kabir Miron

This is another report from the USA
http://www.goldenrod.org/blog/world-shorebirds-day-field-trip-results

Read my first blog on the World Shorebirds Day website, http://bit.ly/18UVWu4 and register to take part, where ever you live in the world.

About the Author

Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. 

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Oriental Bird Club. - AGM 5th Sept 2015

On 5th September 2015, I spoke about Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Bangladesh and World Shorebird Day, who I'm an Ambassador for at the OBC AGM.  

Advert for OBC AGM in OBC Magazine Birding Asia, June 2015

I talked about my trip to Bangladesh in February, where I did a Spoon-billed Sandpiper survey (19 birds recorded) and how as a British Bangladeshi I managed to get the top Bangladeshi Newspapers and TV Stations to report on my visit and the importance of these birds to Bangladesh.

Young birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Photograph taken by and copyright Tim Losebury

The Oriental Bird Club (OBC) is a UK based organisation with members around the world. Their main aim is to help conserve birds in Asia. They help with funding of projects, like this grant for training young Bangladesh Bird Club Members to ring (with the emphasis on waders so that in the future they can ring Spoon billed Sandpipers) http://orientalbirdclub.org/bertram-smythies/

This year's OBC AGM took place in Cambridge on Saturday 5th September 2015.

Young birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Photograph taken by and copyright Tim Losebury, OBC

The programme also included:

China’s Grippers – a talk on the most sought-after birds of China by Pete Morris (Birdquest Leader)

Baer’s Pochard: responding to a critical situation by Dr Debbie Pain, Director of Conservation, WWT

In search of the endemic birds of Taiwan - by Andy Walker

Restoration of Indonesian rainforest – sustainable model or Government whim? by Andrew Impey, Head of Global Habitats, RSPB

Videoing around the Philippines by Keith Blomerley



The programme looked really interesting, especially the conservation talks.

I was particularly interested in the Baer's Pochard talk, as the WWT's Nigel Jarrett had already asked me to get involved, which I hope to do in 2016.  It is close to my heart as they used to winter in Tangua Hoar, Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Bangladesh.  My grandfather is from Sunamganj and I have a great-aunt who lives in Tangua.  Apparently, he used to tell my big sister how beautiful it was there.  My Mum and Dad saw 6 Baer's Pochard there in Dec 2000 and I would like to see them back there again.

I loved hearing about trips and was interested in the restoration of rainforest on Sumatra, as I was keen to find out what can be done to overcome the issue of palm oil plantations.

As well as me, there were three young boys watching their dad who was one of the speakers and Andrew Walker who it was good to meet finally and who was under 40.

Andrew Walker's talk and slides are on this link

http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/in-search-of-endemic-birds-of-taiwan.html

Last year the AGM was in London and a group of Next Generation Birders (under 25) came.  This year they were involved in the Spurn MigFest the same weekend, so couldn't come.  It would be good to get some younger people to attend next year, so that they can get involved in Asian conservation projects.

About the Writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. 

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter