This year, Aswan Birdwatching proudly joins the global effort for wader and shorebird conservation by participating in Wader Conservation World Watch (WCWW), the annual event of Wader Quest scheduled for 31 October & 1 November 2025. This step reflects a growing commitment from Aswan’s birding community to connect local knowledge and biodiversity with global conservation efforts.
What is WCWW and Why It Matters
Wader Quest is a global initiative that aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by waders (shorebirds), species of the sub-order Charadrii, including plovers, sandpipers, thick-knees and other shorebirds.
Every first weekend of November, WCWW invites birdwatchers worldwide to go out, observe waders wherever they are, record their sightings, and share them, usually via the global citizen-science platform eBird (by contributing to the shared WaderQuestTeam account), or by submitting photos and data directly to Wader Quest.
The purpose is twofold: to draw attention to the global decline many wader species face, and to celebrate and support the people (researchers, volunteers, birdwatchers) who dedicate time to monitoring and conserving them.
Aswan: A Unique Wader Habitat
Aswan, with its Nile River banks, islands, marshes, and nearby wetlands such as lakes and floodplains, has long been a meeting place for a mix of resident birds and migratory visitors.
Many of these habitats are ideal for waders: shallow water, muddy shores, reedbeds, and quiet backwaters. Birding guides note that species such as Senegal Thick-knee (resident wader along Aswan’s sandy shores) already make Aswan noteworthy among birdwatchers.
For many birdwatchers coming from Europe, Asia or other regions, Aswan offers a rare chance to observe a mix of Nile-Valley residents, African species, and migrating shorebirds, something harder to find elsewhere.
What Aswan Birdwatching Brought to WCWW 2025
Aswan Birdwatching represented Egypt as part of the wider African and global birding community during WCWW 2025. The team leader Ismael Khalifa visited key sites (riverbanks, wetlands, and islands) to observe waders and record their presence.
Using eBird and Wader Quest submissions, he documented both new and known species, tracking migration and wintering patterns.
For Aswan Birdwatching, participating in WCWW 2025 was more than collecting data, it was joining a worldwide community of birdwatchers committed to shorebird conservation. Over the event weekend, the team contributed observations that connected Aswan’s wetlands and migration corridors to global monitoring efforts.
This engagement highlighted the region’s natural heritage, showing that beyond the well-known tourist sites, Aswan is home to vital ecosystems that support both resident and migratory waders. By taking part, Aswan Birdwatching demonstrated that local expertise and dedication can make a meaningful contribution to international conservation initiatives.
