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SITE NAME
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Pechora River delta, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 369-7489/4732045(fax) // romian@hotmail.ru // Scherbakovskaya 26-30-135, Moscow, 105318, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Numbers of Common Snipe and Jacksnipe in the Pechora River lower reaches
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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9.06
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14.07
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2
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| Snow cover was estimated to melt on 50% of flat surface in the period from 1-5.06, and to melt completely from 10-15.06. Ice break on rivers occurred in mid May. Falling snow mixed with rain at night on 18.06, and severe thunderstorm occurred on 22.06 in Korovinsky Bay. Weather was windy on at least 20 days during the period of studies from 9.06-14.07, but particularly from 25.06-1.07.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
1-5.06
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
mid May
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
10-15.06
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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Areas in the vicinity of river beds and areas connected to the Pechora River were flooded for the second time in early summer, which was reported an annual event by local researcher A.S. Glotov. This flooding resulted in perishing of nests of Pintail, Common Snipe, and presumably of other ducks and waders nesting in low-level coastal sedge tundra. Repeated survey in July of the plot in the city vicinity revealed that numbers of these species decreased considerably. Temporal coincidense of the highest tide with water run-up by wind was observed on Lovetskyi Island. Given that shallow waters are widely spread and low-level polygonal tundra is fragmented by numerous channels, run-up events turned into an important environmental factor periodically occurring in the area and resulting in perishing of nests of, e.g. Common Snipes and Red-necked Phalaropes.
Predation by skuas and Arctic Foxes was not observed, probably, due to low numbers of these predators in the survey period. However, pairs of Hooded Crows often specialized on bird clutches (Fieldfares, Redwings, ducks), even if their own clutch had already been lost. Crows prefered for nesting modified by human habitats: hayland, fishemen huts, areas of exploration. In vicinity of settlements predation by crows was supplemented by impacts of dogs.
Common Snipe was common, but not numerous, occurring primarily in willow bushes in low tundra and nesting in excessively humid sedge habitats in marginal parts of willow bushes. Nests suffer primarily from washout with run-up water and during the second flood. Jacksnipe was rare, and we mostly recorded this species on migration before 20.06. After this date only displaying birds were recorded, with 10 occurrences at maximum during daily count. Nests of Jacksnipe were not found, although special searches were carried out. Density of birds (ducks, Great Snipe, Fieldfare, Redwing) was considerably higher in the vicinity of a nest of a pair of Merlins, which laid 5 eggs in last-year crow nest and started incubation around 10.06. Howvere, many nests were destroyed by crows despite proximity of Merlins.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemmings were not recorded visually, but 1 Collared Lemming was captured in snap-trap. Voles were often seen during bird counts, and several Tundra Voles were captured.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Dicrostonyx torquatus | rare |
| Microtus oeconomus | common |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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