It’s been a few months since we launched the first-ever shorebird tracking project along South Africa’s West Coast. Since then, we’ve been watching how and where these individuals go, with their movements revealing the invisible threads that connect our estuaries with wetlands thousands of kilometres away.

So, what have the trackers revealed so far?

While several of the 20 tagged Curlew Sandpipers remained in Africa rather than continuing north to their breeding grounds in Russia, their movements have still provided fascinating insights into the different migration strategies of these remarkable birds. Some are likely first-year birds, which are known to remain in Africa during their first year rather than undertaking the journey north to the breeding grounds.

This in itself is an important discovery. It means that, for some individuals, the wetlands of southern Africa are not simply stopovers on a journey to their northern breeding grounds. For many months of the year, these wetlands are home.

So, what happens if the wetlands they depend on are degraded or lost?

These birds are connected by an invisible web of wetlands stretching across continents. Pull on one thread, and the effects can be felt far beyond the point where it was broken. The loss or degradation of a wetland in southern Africa could affect a bird’s ability to survive and breed thousands of kilometres away, just as conditions on its breeding grounds can ultimately influence whether it returns to our shores. In a connected flyway, what happens at one end can have consequences at the other.

One of the most exciting aspects of tracking these birds is that it allows us to see these connections unfold through the journeys of individual birds. What might once have been an anonymous Curlew Sandpiper feeding on a mudflat in Velddrif suddenly becomes a traveller with a story to tell.

To help bring these stories to life, each bird has been given a name, either after important wetlands encountered along its journey or in recognition of the partners who have helped make this project possible. And as we watch their movements unfold, these names have quickly become much more than labels on a map.

Take Wembere, for example.

Wembere was the first Curlew Sandpiper to leave South Africa this year, departing on 27 February. His journey has taken him thousands of kilometres north and back again:

➡️ 27 February: Departed South Africa
➡️ 17 April: Left the African continent
➡️ End of May: Reached the vicinity of his Arctic breeding grounds
➡️ Early July: Began his southward migration
➡️ 31 July: Returned to Africa, now resting in Sudan

From the Berg River Estuary to the Arctic and back to the African continent in just five months – all undertaken by a bird that could comfortably fit in the palm of your hand.

And there is a fascinating reason for the urgency of that northward journey.

Curlew Sandpipers have a rather unusual breeding strategy. Pairing largely takes place during the final stages of the northward migration, with courtship beginning almost immediately after the birds arrive on the tundra. Once breeding is underway, the species has a division of parental investment: after the eggs hatch, the female takes on the remaining parental duties while the male leaves the breeding grounds and begins his southward migration.

This means that, for some individuals, the journey south can begin remarkably soon after arriving in the Arctic. Such a rapid turnaround underscores the importance of healthy habitats throughout the flyway, where birds can find the food and resources needed to breed successfully, recover quickly, and continue their remarkable journeys across continents.

Following Wembere’s journey has given us a glimpse into a world that was, until recently, largely hidden from view. Every location received from a tracker helps us better understand the routes these birds take, the wetlands they depend on, and the challenges they face along the way. As more birds begin their return journey to Africa in the coming months, we look forward to uncovering more of these stories and the invisible connections that bind continents together. Because for a Curlew Sandpiper, survival depends not on a single wetland, but on an entire network of habitats stretching from South Africa to the Arctic, and every site along that journey matters.