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| Friends of the Red Knot Bird-A-Thon team |
Friends of the Red Knot Team Identifies 102 Birds and Wins Bird-A-Thon Youth Award
The Friends of the Red Knot participated in the Delaware Bird-A-Thon on May 11, 2008. Five FoRK kids and their
adult sponsors joined members of the Delmarva Ornithological Society (DOS) for a series of birdwalks in various habitats
in central Delaware. One excursion began at 4:30 AM, and allowed the team to see some nocturnal birds, such as a Chucks Will
Widow! Other habitats explored included forest, marshland and shores. Some Red Knots were spotted near the DuPont Nature Center!
A rare treat was the sighting of a Wood Sandpiper, which is more likely found in Europe than on the US east coast.
Birders had come from many nearby states to see this rare shorebird, and the FoRK team was fortunate to include this bird
on their list.
The FoRK team identified 102 different species in a 24 hour period, and raised $1,019.22 in pledges! Their
Bird-A-Thon effort was rewarded with the prize for most species identified and funds raised by a youth team. The kids received
bird houses hand-made by DOS President Derek Stoner, and an iPod Nano with BirdJam software and Stokes Birdsong CD's. The
iPod will certainly come in handy when identifying birds in next year's Bird-A-Thon!
Thanks to Derek Stoner and DOS Conservation Chair Bill Stewart for inviting us to participate
in this year's Bird-A-Thon. And a special thanks to Mr. Derek, Mr. Bill and Ms. Judy for guiding us through our
Bird-A-Thon adventure.
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| Friends of the Red Knot at the Maryland Zoo |
Friends of the Red Knot at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Friends of the Red Knot presented our educational display at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore during Earth Week 2008. We shared
information about Red Knots and horseshoe crabs, and collected signatures on postcards to both Governor O'Malley
and Interior Secretary Kempthorne.
April 2008 - Campaign Launched to Ban Horseshoe Crab Harvesting in Maryland
The Friends of the Red Knot have begun a new campaign to convince Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley to ban horseshoe
crab harvesting in our home state of Maryland. We have written to Governor O'Malley, explaining that 40% of the horseshoe
crabs harvested from Maryland waters are part of the Delaware Bay spawning population. Furthermore, 60% of the horseshoe crabs
harvested in 2007 in Maryland were females. Maryland needs to follow the example of New Jersey and do its part to help the
Red Knot survive.
Over the next few months, Friends of the Red Knot will be asking other organizations and individuals to write to Governor
O'Malley in support of a horseshoe crab harvesting ban. If you would like to write to Governor O'Malley, you can download
our sample letter by clicking here. Write Letters to Save The Red Knot
Thank You New Jersey!!
On February 11, 2008 the NJ Marine Fisheries Council rejected a moratorium on horseshoe crab harvesting that was proposed
by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. Removing this protection for horseshoe crabs could prove deadly to the Red
Knot population that feeds on Delaware Bay shores.
Fortunately for the Red Knot, environmentalists were not about to give up! On February 21st, New Jersey legislators introduced
a bill to ban horseshoe crab harvesting in New Jersey. The bill passed in the full Assembly on March 13th, then passed
in the Senate on March 18th. New Jersey Governor Corzine signed the new bill into law on March 25th. Congratulations
and Thank You to New Jersey for doing what was necessary to help the Red Knot.
Click on the link below to hear Governor Corzine's remarks at the bill signing ceremony:
DNREC Fails to Stop Horseshoe Crab Harvest
After hearing testimony from Friends of the
Red Knot and other environmental groups, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control decided to
keep a limited harvest of 100,00 male horseshoe crabs. Though disappointed, Friends of the Red Knot will continue to work
to further restrict or ban horseshoe crab harvesting, and to get the Red Knot placed on the Endangered Species List.
Friends of the Red Knot Testify at DNREC Hearing on Horseshoe Crab
Harvest
Five members of Friends of the Red Knot testified at a hearing before the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and
Environmental Control on September 24, 2007. The hearing was called in order to allow public testimony about proposed changes
to regulations that control horseshoe crab harvesting in the state of Delaware. The Friends of the Red Knot kids presented
their view that a complete ban on horseshoe crab harvesting is necessary to protect Red Knots and other shorebirds that stop
to feed on Delaware Bay beaches during migration. Their testimony was well-received by all who were present at the hearing.
Friends of the Red Knot featured in the Urbanite
The August 2007 edition of the Urbanite magazine includes an article about Friends of the Red Knot. This
engaging article gives a closer look at the kids who formed this club, and their mission to save the Red Knot. A video of
the kids that was filmed by the Urbanite staff can be viewed on YouTube.
Click here to view the Urbanite article
Click here to view the Urbanite video
Judge Overturns
Delaware Horseshoe Crab Harvesting Ban
On June 9, 2007 Superior Court Judge Richard
Stokes overturned Delaware's 2-year moratorium on the harvesting of horseshoe crabs. This development highlights why
it is so important to get the Red Knot added to the Endangered Species
List. Federal protection of the Red Knot would override inconsistent state and local regulation of horseshoe crab
harvesting.
Friends of the Red Knot Visit Dupont Nature Center
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| Ann Rydgren presents book to club members |
On May 23, 2007, seven members of the Friends of the Red Knot were invited to the Grand Opening of
the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve. They provided a display about the work they have been doing to
get the Red Knot listed as endangered. The kids handed out many letters to be signed and sent to Secretary Kempthorne, and
posed for a photo in front of a beautiful sculpture of a Red Knot. Most importantly, all of the kids had a chance to
see live Red Knots feeding on the beach with other shorebirds! Ann Rydgren from the Delaware Audubon Society presented
the club members with audio CD's of the Piping Plover Suite, as well as a copy of "The Flight of the Red Knot", a book about
the Red Knot and it's long migration. Finally, the kids toured the impressive new nature center, which focuses
on shorebirds and horseshoe crabs.
For more information about the DuPont Nature Center, click here.
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