|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Mikhail Melnikov
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Kharlov Island, Sem' Ostrovov archipelago, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (4742)328394 // zoologia@lspu.lipetsk.ru // Dept. of zoology and ecology, Lenina St. 42, Lipetsk State Pedagogical Univ., Lipetsk, 398020, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
Project name:
|
|
Archives of Nature of Reserve "Sem' Ostrovov"
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
11.06
|
11.08
|
2
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| Snow cover reduced to 50% before 11.06. Very strong storm in early June resulted in sweeping off all low-build nests in parts of colonies of Kittiwakes, Thick-billed and Common murres.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
Breeding of Red-throated Divers (one pair raising 2 chicks) and Rock Ptarmigan (2 pairs with broods) was recorded on Kharlov Island after a long break. Numbers of Gannet dropped from 48 to 30 breeding pairs in 2004 compared with 2002, but up to 290 birds stayed in total on the colony which allowed to expect increase of breeding numbers in 2005. Great Cormorant numbers in the colony on Veshnyak Island decreased slightly due, probably, to nest loss during strong storm in June. Clutch size was 2.72ñ0.07 (range 1-4, n=76) before hatching. Abundance of Double-crested Cormorant increased by a factor of 1.5 compared with 2002, and brood size was 2.37ñ0.10 (range 1-3, n=30). Total numbers of Bean Goose increased slightly, while numbers of Pintail, Long-tailed Duck and Common Eider dropped. Mean clutch size was 3.83ñ0.07 (range 1-6, n=235) in eider, and 9.4% of known nests we depredated.
Three alarming pairs of Rough-legged Buzzards were found per 14 km of the continental coast. A nest of Peregrine Falcons with 4 dawny chicks was found on one of the islands for the first time, White-tailed Sea Eagle and Merlin were recorded several times each, while Gyrfalcon was not seen.
Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Red-necked Phalarope bred on the islands, while European Golden Plover (2 pairs), Ringed Plover (16 pairs), Turnstone (2 pair), Wood Sandpiper (1 pair) and Temminck's Stint (1 pair) were recorded on excursion 11 km long in continental tundra from Vostochnaya Litsa River to cape Voyatka.
Both Great and Arctic skua increased their breeding numbers on the islands compared with 2002. Mean size of completed clutches was 1.81ñ0.05 (range 1-2, n=69) in Arctic Skuas, and reproduction was successful in 66.9% of nests. All species of gulls breeding on the islands (Herring, Great Black-backed, Common gulls and Kittiwake) notably reduced their numbers. Mean clutche size was 2.05ñ0.15 (range 1-3, n=20) in Common Gulls, and hatching success was 64.1%. Brood size before fledging was 1.11ñ0.01 (range 1-2, n=1216) in Kittiwakes, and approximately 25.2% of nests were empty by the end of the nesting period. Arctic Terns did not nest.
Numbers of Thick-billed Murre decreased and of Common Murre increased slightly on Kharlov Island compared with 2002.
Meadow, Red-throated and Water pipits, White Wagtail, Hooded Crow, Raven, Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Bluethroat, Fieldfare, Redwing and Snow Bunting bred on the islands, while nesting of Common Redpoll was not recorded.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Norwegian Lemmings were not recorded.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Data on the numbers of most bird species nesting on the islands have been collected. Ecology and breeding biology of seabirds, Arctic Skua and Common Gull were studied in higher detail. Publications are planned on very rare species and species which nesting have not been reported previously (Peregrine Falcon, Red-throated Diver, Rock Ptarmigan), as well as on biology of Arctic Skua and Kittiwake.
|
|