|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Alexander Dmitriev
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Mongocheyakha River lower reaches, Gydansky Peninsula, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 8-916-1261511/8-495-2152901(for Dmitriev) // zzu@inbox.ru // Orekhovy bulevar, 16-241, Moscow, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
28.06
|
1.08
|
2
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
| Season phenology: |
average
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| Snow cover normally reduces to 50% from 20-30 May in the area, and completely disappears in early June. Ice broke on the Gyda River on 21 June. Weather was cool and dry with temperatures around +8øC during day-time and dropping to -3øC at night in the period from our arrival on 28 June and until 3 July. There was already no ice on river and snow in tundra, but large ice floes were still present on lakes. Air temperature increased to +14øC on 3 July and a period of daily rains have started. In the period from 10-16 July mean temperature dropped to +12øC and rains became infrequent. They did not often occur also on the next week (17-23 July), but mean temperature reached +17øC, a relatively high value for the area, with a maximal +25øC. Rains occurred daily and lasted for several hours from 24-30 July, and mean temperature decreased to +16øC. Permafrost retreated to a depth of 10-12 cm by our arrival on 28 June. Water level did not change significantly in the river, rising at tide by 50-60 cm. Extreme weather events did not occur, probably, except for an unusually hot weather during several days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
20-30.05
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
21.06
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
early June
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
Two records of solitary Arctic Foxes were made during study period, and two large dens found in the vicinity were not inhabited.
All breeding pairs of birds were already incubating by our arrival. Among divers Red-throated Diver was rare, while Black-throated Diver was common breeder. Red-breasted Geese occurred in small numbers, and we found 2 nests, one of which survived to hatching. An aggregation of 69 non-breeding Red-breasted Geese was observed on the Mongocheyakha River. White-fronted Geese were common in the area, they bred in the Mongocheyakha River valley, while non-breeding birds moulted on the river. Approximately 30% of geese nests were destroyed by Arctic Foxes. We observed Bean Geese only on migration and moult, and a single Bewick's Swan was recorded. Ducks were rare, including breeding Long-tailed Ducks, wandering King Eiders and a single record of Greater Scoup.
Rare birds of prey included Peregrine Falcons and two pairs of Rough-legged Buzzards breeding in the vicinity. Rock Ptarmigans and Willow Grouse were common, the first species occurring in slightly higher numbers. In total 11 species of waders were recorded, of which status of Greater Golden Plover and Pintail Snipe was not clear, Pacific Golden Plover, Ringed Plover and Temminck's Stint were rare, while phalaropes, Grey Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin and Ruff were common.
Gulls and skuas were generally rare, with an exception of common Herring Gull Larus heuglini. Long-tailed Skua was more common than Arctic Skua, but breeding was not confirmed in any species. Wandering Snowy Owls were recorded on 3 occasions.
Red-throated Pipits and Lapland Buntings were numerous among passerines, Shorelarks common, and the other 6 recorded species rare.
Generally, low predation pressure and warm weather were favourable for reproduction of birds.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Solitary Siberian Lemmings were recorded.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
| Latin | Abundance |
|---|
| Lemmus sibiricus | rare |
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Bird counts were carried out in different habitats and densities estimated for each of them. Geobotanical descriptions were made. Two plots (0.11 and 0.14 sq.km) were established for nest searches and description of habitats.
|
|