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low
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Breeding conditions:
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We recorded tracks of the American Mink on Kharlov Island, while Red Foxes and Brown Bears were recorded in the mainland tundra.
Two pairs of the Red-throated Diver bred on Kharlov Island in 2007. Numbers of breeding Gannets increased from 161 pair in 2006 to 232 pairs in 2007. The abundance of the Great Cormorant dropped to 25 pairs on Veshnyak Island and 28 pairs on Maly Lytsky Island, but a new colony of 12 nests was discovered on Bolshoy Zelenets Island. Mean brood size varied from 2.0-2.9 chicks per nest on different islands. Several new colonies were established by Shags on Veshnyak Island, and numbers of this species reached 220-205 pairs.
Barnacle Geese bred again on Maly Zelenets Island, where 5 families were observed. They used Maly Lytsky Island for nesting for the first time, where 1 pair with a brood was recorded. It was not possible to evaluate the abundance of breeding Bean Geese and Common Eiders in 2007. One brood of Pintails and one nest of Long-tailed Ducks were recorded on the islands of the archipelago; the Whooper Swan and Common Merganser were non-breeding species.
Among birds of prey the Rough-legged Buzzard and White-tailed Sea Eagle were represented by non-breeders. Two territorial pairs of Peregrine Falcons were found on one of the islands, and two of 3 chicks successfully fledged from the nest within one of these territories. Gyrfalcons nested after a long period of non-breeding (a nest and a fledgling found).
Four pairs of Rock Ptarmigans bred on Kharlov Island, which is an average density for the recent 3-year period of their breeding on the islands.
Population of the Great Skua reached 18 pairs on the archipelago, although only 7 pairs nested successfully (38.9%). Numbers of the Arctic Skua dropped from 116 pairs in 2006 to 96 pairs in 2007, of which 16 pairs (16.7%) nested successfully in the latter year. Several skua fledglings were recorded in pairs breeding on the mainland. Several records of Long-tailed Skuas were made on Kharlov Island. Numbers of Great Black-backed Gulls increased on the archipelago, while numbers of Herring Gulls, Common Gulls and Kittiwakes decreased, and mass non-breeding was observed in these species. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was seen in early August. Arctic Terns, probably, established a small colony on one of the small islands. Numbers of Common and Thick-billed murres have decreased insignificantly on Kharlov Island. We were not able to obtain reliable information on abundance of Razorbill, Black Guillemot and Common Puffin.
Breeding waders of the archipelago were represented by the Oystercatcher and Turnstone. Numbers of the latter species have been gradually declining during recent years. Nesting of Snipe was recorded for the first time in the region. Territorial pairs of the Temminck's Stint, Eurasian Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, and Wood Sandpiper were observed at the mainland. Observations of migrating waders were predominantly made at the mainland and included the Dotterel, Greenshank, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Red-necked Phalarope, Ruff, Little Stint, Dunlin, Purple Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Bar-tailed Godwit.
Two males of Great Spotted Woodpecker were on Kharlov Island during two weeks in August. Breeding passerines of the archipelago included Meadow, Red-throated and Water pipits, Hooded Crow, Raven, White Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Bluethroat, Redwing, and Snow Bunting. Breeding density increased compared with the previous season in the Meadow Pipit. A considerable decrease in numbers of territorial pairs was observed in the Bluethroat and Common Redpoll, while numbers of other species did not change notably. Non-breeding Magpies, Fieldfares and Lapland Buntings were observed on the archipelago. An observation of a vagrant Chiffchaff was the first on record for Eastern Murman coast.
Breeding success was very low in the Arctic Skua and Kittiwake, and average in the Great Skua, murres, waders and passerines.
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