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RESPONDENT
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Alexander Dmitriev
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SITE NAME
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Mongocheyakha River middle and lower reaches, Gydan Peninsula, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 8-916-1261511/8-495-2152901(for Dmitriev) // zzu@inbox.ru // Orekhovy bulevar, 16-241, Moscow, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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23.06
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13.07
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2
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| The weather was extremely variable during the spring. Pronounced warmer weather with rain in April did not melt the snow. A return of cold weather in May with air temperatures dropping to -20°C and snowstorms resulted in the death of approximately one third of the local herd of domestic Reindeers. A small-scale return migration of geese was observed during the period of cold weather in May. Overall, the spring was late and cold, and this, combined with the death of Reindeers, caused many of the reindeer herders to decide not to move their flocks to the northern parts of the Gydan Peninsula. This reduced pressure from trampling on clutches of birds. The end of June was warm (+20°C) and dry, but temperatures decreased in July (+10°C) with light showers occurring from time to time. Permafrost had retreated to the depth of 10-12 cm when we arrived on 23 June, but snow patches remained until early July in the tundra. Ice broke on 24 June on the Gyda River. The water level dropped by approximately 5 meters in mid summer in the middle reaches of the Mongocheyakha River and by 3 meters in the lower reaches. Tides in the estuary were only 90 cm high.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
12-18.06
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
24.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
early July
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Arctic Foxes were common, and signs of their activities were found everywhere. Foxes bred in all surveyed dens.
Birds of prey were recorded across the whole study area, in pairs and as singles. We found 2 nests of Peregrine Falcons and 3 nests of Rough-legged Buzzards in the surveyed area. Snowy Owls were regularly observed (11 records in total), but did not maintain territories. Pomarine Skuas were common, and we found 2 nests (1 and 2 eggs) in the lower reaches of the Mongocheyakha River on 6 July. Two other species of skuas were less common, and their breeding was not confirmed, although it appeared probable for the Long-tailed Skua. Rare Herring Gulls were the only gulls recorded.
Black-throated Divers were somewhat more common than Red-throated Divers, and the abundance of these species was very similar to the previous year. Nesting of divers was not recorded.
Bean Geese were observed only on migration. The nesting density of common White-fronted Geese did not differ from that in 2006. Nests of these geese in the Pukhutseyakha River valley were found primarily on high bluffs which were also inhabited by Peregrine Falcons or Rough-legged Buzzards. In the middle reaches of the Mongocheyakha River geese preferred nesting in the open tussocks in the lowlands of the river valley and its tributaries. The second most important breeding habitat was riparian willow stands up to 10-15 cm high, where the density was 2.8 pairs/km? and locally reaching 6 pairs/km?. In the lower reaches of the Mongocheyakha River nests of White-fronted Geese were often found in wet tundra and among coastal driftwood, although dry tussocky slopes of watersheds close to creeks were also used. Red-breasted Geese were more numerous than in the previous years, although 16 of 22 found nests were destroyed, presumably by Arctic Foxes. Bewick's Swans were seen more often than usual in pairs and groups of 3-8 birds across the whole surveyed valley. Ducks were rare, and of 5 species recorded only Long-tailed Ducks bred in small numbers, primarily in the southern part of the area.
Willow Grouse were common and nested in the central part of the peninsula. Their abundance decreased from 1.5 to 0.3 birds/km of river nearer to the sea coast, and in the lower river reaches grouse were recorded only on dry watershed. Rock Ptarmigans were slightly more abundant close to the sea, where single birds were seen several times on dry hillocks.
None of 15 wader species was numerous. Breeding status of 6 species was not determined: Pacific Golden Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, and Pintail Snipe. Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Grey Phalarope were rare breeders. Grey Plover, Red-necked Phalarope, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Dunlin, and Ruff were common breeders.
Among 11 species of passerines 7 were rare, while the Shorelark and Red-throated Pipit were common, and the Lapland Bunting numerous.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemmings were numerous, and we recorded several animals daily.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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