The Black-faced Spoonbill Platelea minor is Endangered. The East Asian wetlands it depends on are being destroyed. Discovering that American universities are helping fund the destruction of South Korea’s internationally-important Song Do wetland is to say the least hugely disappointing. That’s what’s happening though, as a well-written piece in The Herald-Sun by Prof Randall Hester explains: “…South Korea will pay US$50 million for N.C. State’s facilities, due to open [on reclaimed land at Songdo] to 3,000 students in 2010. Who knows what deals Duke or the other nine universities involved in Songdo (Georgia Tech, SUNY-Stony Brook, the University of Missouri, the University of Southern California, George Mason, the University of Delaware, the University of Illinois, Carnegie Mellon, and Boston University) are being offered.” The newspaper article is open to comment, so please make your feelings heard.

The Birds Korea Latest News pages often have some staggeringly good photos of unusual (even by East Asian standards) birds, but check out the amazing photos of Scaly-sided Mergansers Mergus squamatus on there at the moment. This is a species that is rarely seen by western birders, and images like these are just sensational. And while you’re there check out the flying Falcated Duck which is mightily impressive too!

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the first IATB of the new year. Send your link and summaries to me or Andrew (cooee AT listeningearth.com.au) of Listening Earth Blog by today’s end.

Guunar Engblom is rapidly becoming birding’s most enthusiastic social media networker, using Twitter and Facebook to promote his excellent blog. To be honest we here at 10,000 Birds aren’t quite convinced of the benefits, but perhaps the best way for mild sceptics to find out for sure would be to join Gunnar’s FREE 31 Day Social Media Workshop. The details do sound interesting, Gunnar is one heck of an enthusiast, and clicking the link doesn’t commit you to anything…