Activities on 2000 World Wetlands Day in Miyagi Wetland Counts February 6, 2000

Wide area of rice fields in northern part of Miyagi supports a large numbers of wintering goose populations as their diurnal foraging habitats. INCA and JAWGP are holding counts of wild geese on the rice fields with participation of the public on February 6 (Sunday), in order to enhance the awareness on the importance of the rice fields for the migratory waterbirds and on its biodiversity.

Distribution of rice fields used by wingtering goose population in Miyagi, February 6, 2000. Counted are: 15,249 White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), 1,603 Thick-billed Bean Goose (A. fabalis serrirostris) on the rice fields. Hundreds of Middendorf's Bean Goose (A.f. middendorfi) counted in the lakes. Habitats used by goose flocks have been mapped as red square. Width of a square is about 1km.

February 7, 2000, Yoshihiko Miyabayashi, JAWGP