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RESPONDENT
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Nikolay Yakushev
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SITE NAME
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Meinypylgyno settlement vicinity, Chukotka, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 8(8452)515738 // taksidermia@yandex.ru // Zoological Museum, Biological Faculty, Saratov State Univ., Astrakhanskaya 83, Saratov, 410012 Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Arctic Expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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8.06
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31.07
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4
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| According to reports of local people snow accumulation was low in winter, and spring was average in timing. At arrival on 8 June flat surface was 80% free from snow, but in depressions and on northern slopes snow remained until early July. Ice disappeared on 11 June from channels and on 12-15 June from Nyzhnee Vaamygchyn and Pekulneiskoe lakes. Air temperatures did not exceed +10øC at day-time during most of June, and occasionally dropped below freezing at night. A prolonged cyclone established from 17-26 June which resulted in continuous rains. After that and in early July the weather was warm, dry and sunny, while the last 5 days of month again were cool and rainy. Fog was almost daily at least in the mornings untill 11 pm or midday; fog free days were the exception. Only 3 days were windless of the survey period from 8 June to 31 July, while moderate to strong wind prevailed on other days. Water table was average in rivers and lakes, and was decreasing rapidly until mid July. Rapid drying of small waterbodies resulted in perishing of small fish.
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| Season temperature: |
average
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
11.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
30.06
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Red foxes were seen twice on coastal spits, while their inhabited den was found 10 km to the north of the settlement in moraine hills. Brown Bears frequented all coastal spits, including settlement vicinity. According to reports of local people bear density on a coastal spit could reachafter start of salmon spawning 17 animals in the visible range. So high density, particularly in marginal parts of spit (distant-most from the lake shore), resulted in depredation of many nests of large birds, including nests of White-fronted Geese, Emperor Geese, White-winged Scoters and Rough-legged Buzzards. Nest of Rough-legged Buzzards containing 3 eggs at an early stage of incubation was found on 11 June 9 km to the west of the settlement. Adult birds stayed for 2 weeks in the nesting territory after depredation of nest. Southern end of the moraine was regularly visited by a pair of Golden Eagles and wandering immature and adult White-tailed Sea Eagles. Gyrfalcon was recorded 4 times in the marginal parts of spits, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and Short-eared Owl one time each.
One nest of Arctic Skuas was found in moraine hills, but these birds were uncommon on the spits until early July. However, numbers of Arctic Skuas increased dramatically after hatching of chicks in majority of Ringed Plovers and Mongolian Plovers, when flocks of up to 30 skuas appeared. Long-tailed Skuas did not nest, and were approximately an order of magnitude less abunadant than Arctic Skuas. Large white-headed gulls were numerous everywhere and nested on islands of Vaamygchyn and Pekulneyskoe lakes and on marginal parts of spits. Proportion of the species was the following: Herring Gull - 10, Glaucous Gull - 2 and Slaty-backed Gull - 1. These species suffered from egging by humans, while nests in marginal areas were destroyed by bears. Ravens nested successfully in the settlement and in moraine hills, where aggregations of up to 15 juveniles birds accompanied by adults were recorded.
Sandhill Cranes were rare, but chicks hatched in all 3 pairs recorded. A single nest of White-fronted Geese of three found survived to hatching. While breeding was confirmed in Pintail, Teal, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter and Common Eider, brods were found in none of these species. Clutches of Common Eiders particularly suffered from predation by skuas and large gulls on spits and by humans and dogs near the settlement and on islands.
Fledglings were recorded in Skylark, Red-throated and American pipits, Pied Wagtail, Wheatear, Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting, while breeding output in Common Redpol and Dusky Thrush was not determined.
Breeding waders on spits included numeorus Ringed Plovers and Red-necked Phalaropes, common Spoon-billed Sandpipers, Mongolian Plovers and Pacific Golden Plovers, rare Dunlins, Wood Sandpipers and Temminck's Stints. Dunlin, Red-necked Phalarope and Pacific Golden Plover were common in moraine hills, while Red-necked Stint was rare there. Successful fledging was recorded in Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Red-necked Stint and Red-necked Phalarope.
Breeding success was low in waterfowl, birds of prey and gulls due to high predation pressure and egging by humans. Breeding performance of waders and passerines was more likely high due to favourable weather conditions and low pressure by predators (primarily Arctic Skuas and Ravens). In Spoon-billed Sandpiper the average clutch size of 3.65 was significantly lower than in 2003, when the average was 3.81. With only 10 out of 15 nests successfully hatching, the nesting success was also lower than in 2003. The overall estimate of the total breeding success in 2005 is felt to be more likely to be around 0.66 chicks per pair, giving an estimated 26 young Spoon-billed Sandpiper produced in Meinopylgino in 2005.
Numbers of breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper have also declined in neighbouring areas further south and west. In the region of Khatyrka, the population was estimated in 1976 to be around 8-10 pairs (Tomkovich pers.comm.), but in 2005, only 3 pairs could be found breeding there. This confirms once more the overall decline of the species in the last 30 years to only a third of its former population.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| One live Collared Lemming was recorded during the whole study period, and another found dead. Grey-sided Voles were seen daily at a constant rate during the study period. Voles were particularly numerous in willow stands along river banks, and new-born animals were found in moraine hills on 14 July. Voles were active at day-time and tame. Arctic Ground Squirrels were extremely numerous both on coastal spits and in moraine hills, and were captured en masse by Brown Bears, Red Foxes and Herring Gulls.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Dicrostonyx torquatus | rare |
| Clethrionomys rufocannus | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Studies of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper have been carried out using intensive nest searches and individual colour-marking.
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