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RESPONDENT
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Sergei Kharitonov
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SITE NAME
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Medusa Bay, Taimyr Peninsula, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (499)135-9802/(499)135-9802(fax) // serpkh@gmail.com // Bird Ringing Center, Moscow, 117312, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Long-term biological monitoring in the Meduza Bay area, Taimyr
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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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21.07
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4
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
Field studies at the Willem Barents station were carried out from 8 June to 21 July. The seasonal phenology was between moderate and cold in 2007. The snow accumulation was high during the winter, and snow covered 80-90% of the tundra when we arrived at the study site. Snow melt was intensive during the next week, but then slowed down due to the drop in air temperatures. Snow cover reduced to 50% by 20 June and completely melted by 1 July. Ice broke on 15 June on the Medusa River. This made the river and numerous streams impassable until 27 June.
The summer was relatively cold, and the highest air temperature for the second half of June, +18.1°C, was reached on 30 June. Mean air temperature was approximately +4°C in the period from 10-30 June. The highest air temperature for the season, +23.6°C, was recorded on 3 July. The end of the season was cold, windy and rainy, with most rains occurring in early June and late July. Breaking of sea-ice in the Shirokaya-Severnaya Bay started in early July, and the whole adjacent area almost completely cleared by 6 July.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
20.06
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
15.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
1.07
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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Numbers of Arctic Foxes were not high, and some of their dens remained uninhabited. We found only 3 inhabited dens and one open shelter with cubs in a stone hollow. Individual Arctic Foxes were observed everywhere across tundra, also at a long distances from the dens. Apparently, Arctic Foxes had enough food, and their pressure on large tundra birds was not heavy. They did not visit islands in the bay and did not destroy nests of Brant Geese there, but a portion of nests of the latter species on the mainland was depredated.
Breeding numbers of Rough-legged Buzzards in 2007 were very close to numbers in 2004; 26 nests with clutches were found in 2007 at a survey area between the rivers Lemberova and Efremova (175 km2) which was censused in both years. Apart from these, we examined 7 empty nests and 10 territories inhabited by single birds. Clutch size ranged from 2-5 eggs, and averaged 4.0 eggs, which exceeded mean size in 2004 (2.9), but was almost identical to the mean size in 2005 (4.1). Hatching in nests of buzzards started on 11 July.
Breeding numbers of skuas were also high, as we found 6 nests and recorded 43 territories of Pomarine Skuas, as well as 7 nests and 9 territories of Long-tailed Skuas.
Migration of White-fronted Geese to moulting areas started on 6 July, which was 3 days later than in 2006, and continued until 21 July with the peak during 6-15 July. In Brant Geese the moult migration was less pronounced than spring migration, and was most notable on 2-7 July.
Numbers of Brent Geese breeding in the mainland tundra were low (6 nests found), in spite of the presence of breeding Snowy Owls. The first goslings were recorded on 19 July. Eight nests of Red-breasted Geese were found between the Lemberova and Efremova rivers, and apparently all these nests were successful (hatching started on 19 July). One brood of Red-breasted Geese was observed on the Maximovka River and other 3 on the Efremova River.
Six nests of Peregrine Falcons were found on river banks, including 2 on the Lemberova River, 2 on the Maximovka River, 1 nest and 3 territories on the Efremova River, and 1 nest on a steep rocky sea coast 8.5 km to the south-west of the field station. However, it is possible that there were 3 nests on the Efremova River which we failed to discover because of the steep impassable terrain. Hatching started on 19 July in Peregrine Falcons, which is later than in all previous years.
Breeding success was average in waders, Red-breasted Geese and White-fronted Geese; above average in Rough-legged Buzzards, Snowy Owls, Peregrine Falcons and skuas. Nesting success of Brent Geese was low on the mainland and high on islands.
Tracks of two wolves (an adult one and a smaller animal) was recorded on the sea shore between the Isachenko Cape and Medusa Bay, and two wolves were also observed in the station vicinity. Reindeers were not numerous in the study area. The first small flocks of several animals were recorded near the Efremova River on 4 July, and only 2 Reindeers were observed in the station vicinity. For the first time since the start of our studies in 2000 a Tundra Shrew was captured on the northern bank of the Efremova River, at 71°09' N.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemming abundance was evaluated as 3.5 at a rank scale, which corresponds to intermediate between average and high numbers. Seven nests of Snowy Owls were found, mostly in the vicinity of relatively small rivers, Maksimovka, Lemberova and Efremova. The maximum clutch size of 7 eggs was recorded in 3 nests. Bodies of Siberian Lemmings were found at hummocks used by Snowy Owls and Rough-legged Buzzards. Collared Lemmings were not recorded. One Arctic Hare was observed near the Efremova River.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | common |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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