Background and Objectives

Project Arenaria was launched in 2009 by ISPA-Instituto Universitário, the National Natural History and Science Museum (MUHNAC) and the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) to fill a gap in our knowledge of bird populations using the Portuguese coastline. The 2009/10 field season aimed at assessing the population size and distribution of the waders (and other waterbirds) wintering on the Portuguese mainland coast. This initial survey represents now a baseline for interpreting future population trends of wintering shoredirds in mainland Portugal. Data were also collected in the Madeira and the Azores islands.

Project Arenaria moved forward to set an annual monitoring scheme through a sample of squares that were selected taking into account the results of the first field season. This future long-term monitoring will only be possible with the continued collaboration and support of the volunteers.

Organisation

The project is coordinated through a Project Team (ECO) which has representatives from each partner (ISPA-Instituto Universitário, MUHNAC and SPEA). A network of regional organisers and field observers, both volunteer, is vital to carry out the coastal survey in order to achieve the project goals. SPEA will be responsible to undertake the communication between the ECO and the field observers.

Expected Results

Data will support research and conservation of bird populations and will not be made available to third parties with commercial objectives. ECO is willing to share and publish the results of the project, making them available to all those involved in the project and the public. Expected outputs may include articles in scientific journals and in environmental and conservation magazines, but also a report, including maps and tables, on the project webpage. See some results from the 2009/10 first nation-wide survey here. 

Getting Involved

All interested in getting involved should contact the ECO or the Regional Organiser (RO) of the area where they wish to do fieldwork (see contacts below). Please express your interest as early as possible, indicating which grid square(s) you whish to count, in order to facilitate the planning of the counts. In order to make possible the full coverage of the coastline, if you are unable to do the agreed survey or to deliver the filled forms, please let the RO know as early as possible, so that the counts can be made by another observer.

To find out more on how to participate, please download the following documents: 

General Information [General_Information.pdf] 

Regional organisers Season 2024/2025 [Regional_organisers_202425.pdf]

Instructions and Safety [Instructions_Safety.pdf]

Recording Form [Count_Form.pdf]