|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Vladimir Pozdnyakov
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Yana River lower reaches and southern delta, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (411-2)33-68-15/(411-2)42-13-72(fax) // vpozd@mail.ru // Kulakovskogo St., 12-59, Yakutsk-7, 677077, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
26.07
|
7.09
|
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| Phenological observations in the period of surveys from 26 July to 7 September indicated that spring had been warm and early and the season warmer than 2004. Cloudberry ripened by the beginning of August which one month earlier than in 2004, and crop of berries and mushrooms was heavy. Autumn was warm and temperatures dropped below freezing on 21 August, 2 and 7 September. Frequent rains from late July to late August resulted in a very high water table in the Yana River and flooding of all low shores and gravel flats. Accordingly migrating waders lost stop-over sites, while local waders were restricted to atypical habitats near edges of steep banks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
Mammalian predators were represented by solitary adult and juvenile Ermines, while tracks of Brown Bears, Wolves, Arctic Foxes and Red Foxes were not recorded due to flooding of low shores. Arctic Hares were common on islands with willow stands. Abundance of Rough-legged Buzzards decreased compared with 2004, and we recorded perishing, apparently from starvation, of a juvenile buzzard on 25 August, after 2 days of unsuccessful attempts to catch migrating juveniles of Common Gulls and Redpolls. A solitary record of Merlin was made on 25 August. Migration of Crows, Herring Gulls and Glaucous Gulls has started on 18 August, and Short-eared Owls from 31 August. Large Gulls bred successfully judging by abundance of juveniles. Crows were regularly recorded in groups of 1-4 birds, and we observed Northern Shrike on 1 September.
In total 33 species of birds were recorded, of which 28 were known as breeders for the area. Ringed Plover was a single species of waders, in which breeding was confirmed, as we observed adult bird with brood on 28 July and solitary juvenile birds on several occasions before 21 August. A group of up to 5 Whimbrels was recorded feeding with berries on a larch mire on 1 August, and a migrating flock of 6 Ruffs was observed on 2 August. Snipes, which species was not identified, and juvenile Temminck's Stints were occasionally recorded until 12 August.
A brood of Common Gulls containing 3 chicks was regularly observed feeding on food waste in the vicinity of the base camp until 31 August when juveniles departed, which was the first breeding record of the species for the area. Solitary Arctic Terns were recorded on 3, 6 and 31 August. Migration of Pintail, Pigeon and Teal terminated on 21 August, and departure of Black-throated Divers has started on 2 September. Willow Grouse were common and bred successfully.
Among passerines migration of Redpolls was observed already at the start of observations on 26 July, while autumn migration has started on 31 July in Pied Wagtail, on 3 August in Little Bunting, on 12 August in Willow Warbler, on 14 August in pipits, on 19 August in Wheatear, on 28 August in Siberian Accentor and on 30 August in Redwing, Dusky Thrush and Lapland Bunting.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Rodent numbers were low. Northern Red-backed Voles were not recorded, but relatively large Microtus sp. voles were observed on several occasions.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
| Latin | Abundance |
|---|
| Microtus sp. | rare |
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
|
|
|