|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Diana Solovieva
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Chaun-Palyavaam river delta, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 812 2306712/812 2306712(fax) // diana_solovyova@mail.ru // Obrucheva 38, Pevek, Chukotsky Okrug, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
Project name:
|
|
Biology of Spectacled Eider in the Chaun-Palyavaam river delta
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
11.06
|
21.07
|
5
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| The local people reported that the spring was very early. The weather was extremely warm, dry and settled in the study period from 11 June - 21 July. Snow melted completely on the tundra surface and air temperatures were consistently above freezing in the third 10-day period of May (data of the "Rytkuchi" weather station are available at http://www.infospace.ru). Ice broke on 3 June on large rivers. The water table was average and a high flood was not recorded. Strong warm winds from inland occurred rarely, which was not typical for the study area. Adverse weather events, such as snowfalls or returns of cold weather, were not observed. Early spring and warm weather favoured the early appearance of mosquitoes. Reproduction by birds also started early; for example, Spectacled Eiders started nesting in the last 5 days of May, and not in June as usual.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
mid May
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
3.06
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
late May
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
A few records of single Arctic Foxes were made, and they did not breed. Finding of carcasses in winter coats indicated that Arctic Foxes probably died en masse in the winter. A brood of 3 cubs of Red Foxes was recorded.
Avian rodent-specialists (birds of prey, owls and Pomarine Skuas) did not breed, and most species were not recorded.
Pacific Divers bred at an average density, Black-throated and Red-throated divers were rare breeders, and nesting of White-billed Diver was probable but unconfirmed. Bewick's Swans started nesting early. They occurred at the usual high density of the Chaun-Palyavaam River delta. Among ducks, Pintail, Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Spectacled and King eiders nested. Spectacled Eiders nested at a density of 2.60 nests/km2, and had low breeding success (15.4%). Other species of ducks bred successfully, although we do not have quantitative data on their breeding performance. Among small gulls, Sabine's Gulls nested in lower numbers, as well as Arctic Terns. Ross's Gulls, which had bred in 2003, did not nest in 2007. Sandhill Cranes were common breeders as usual. Willow Grouse were rare, but some of them succeeded in raising chicks.
Among waders, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Red-necked and Grey phalaropes, Pectoral and Curlew sandpipers, Dunlin and Long-billed Dowitcher nested.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Rodent numbers were very low, and neither voles, nor lemmings were recorded, even near human settlements.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
|
|
|