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SITE NAME
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Krutik Cape, Kola Peninsula, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (8152)534869 // haliaeetus51@rambler.ru // Ledokolny proezd, 5-18, Murmansk, 183050, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Ornithologo-parasitologic expedition
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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3.07
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20.07
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4
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| The season 2008 was apparently late, and during the period of observations from 3 to 20 July cold, with frequent rains and fogs. Mean daily air temperatures ranged from +4-12°C.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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We recorded Red Foxes in tundra, and observed an American Mink with three cubs. Nesting Rough-legged Buzzards were numerous, and a White-tailed Sea Eagle was recorded. Owls were not seen.
A total count of inhabited nests of Kittiwakes indicated a decline in their numbers by 17.5% compared with 2007. Numbers declined by 6.5% in Bronnich's Guillemots and by 23.7% in Guillemots compared with 2007.
Skuas bred successfully, and we found 2 nests of Arctic Skuas with 2 chicks each and a nest of Long-tailed Skuas with 2 eggs at an advanced stage of incubation. Of four found nests of Ringed Plovers three contained clutches (3, 3, 4 eggs) and one 4 chicks. We regularly observed Whooper Swans in flocks of 2-5 birds and Red-throated Divers (two pairs, including one with a chick) on tundra lakes; White-winged Scooters, Long-tailed Ducks and Barnacle Geese were recorded as well. All chicks hatched successfully in a nest of White-winged Scooters with a clutch of 7 eggs. Other nesting birds included the Snow Bunting (3 chicks in a nest), Shorelark (4 chicks), Redwing (a nest with 5 eggs), Wheatear (2 nests), Temminck's Stint (4 chicks), Meadow Pipit (2 nests with 4 and 5 eggs), Common Gull (4 nests with 2 eggs in each), Arctic Tern (8 nests, all with 2 eggs), White Wagtail and Rock Ptarmigan. The abundance of Rock Ptarmigans was average.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Populations of the Norwegian Lemming and voles peaked. Lemmings were encountered at all times and everywhere, while voles were less abundant.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus lemmus | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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