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RESPONDENT
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Hein Kleef, van
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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): |
| +243600824 // Hvkleef@sci.kun.nl // WIWO, Burghardt van den Berghstraat 163, 6512 DK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Avifauna monitoring at Medusa Bay, 1999
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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22.06
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25.07
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6
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Minimum temperatures were around freezing point and maximum temperatures were mainly around 10øC. Mean temperatures of June and July were 0.6-1.0øC lower than average. Unusually abundant precipitation was observed in 20-30 June (14 mm) and 1-10 July (36 mm, data of meteorological station at Dikson). Heavy snowfall on 28-29 June resulted in a snow layer of 5-7 sm, but this had no apparent negative impact on birds. After the first week of July the weather improved and there were some days with many sun hours. Winds varied enormously, both for speed and direction. Most days had some precipitation, mainly as heavy fogs.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
7-14.07
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Despite delay of spring for about 10 days and harsh weather conditions, densities of breeding birds were higher than in the two previous years probably due to higher lemming densities. In 1998 wader densities were even more high (49 vs. 32 pairs/sq.km), but in 1999 more Pomorine Skuas, Brent Geese, Snowy Owls and passerines were breeding, even though lemming densities declined during July.
Number of wader territories per sq.km was 8 in Pacific Golden Plover, 7 in Curlew Sandpiper, 6.5 in Little Stint, 4.6 in Dunlin, 2.4 in Turnstone and 2.3 in Ringed Plover. Density of passerine territories per sq.km was also high and equalled 29 in Shore Lark, 55 in Lapland Bunting and 14.75 in Snow Bunting. Pomorine Skua was breeding in very high density (4,7 nests per sq.km). Snowy Owls had 7 nests in the area of 30 sq.km (0,23 nest/sq.km) with several big colonies of Brent Geese (152 nests around the owl nests).
Predation by skuas and owls seemed low to moderate (no precise data), predation by Arctic Foxes not recorded. All birds had obviously successful nesting, also not specifically affected by abiotic factors.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| In the whole study area good numbers of Siberian Lemming were found; densities approximating 50-60 animals/ha at maximum. So high numbers were recorded during the first week after arrival on 22 June, when tens of these rodents were seen every day, and dropped to a minimum around mid July, when days with seeing only one or two lemmings were possible. During the last weeks before departure on 27 July many nests with up to 10 young lemmings were found. Although 1999 was expected to be an 'intermediate year' in the three-year lemming cycle, it should probably be considered a peak year. Collared Lemming was present in good numbers, although being much scarcer than Siberian one and mainly restricted to dry parts of the study area.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | abundant |
| Dicrostonyx torquatus | common |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| The expedition was set in order to test and to evaluate a monitoring program for breeding birds based on territory counts. The plots of 4, 12 and 30 sq.km were surveyed: in a framework of monitoring program, including mapping of territorial pairs and broods of waders, intensive nest searching (Rough-legged Buzzard, Snowy Owl, Brent Goose). Results will be published in WIWO project report along with 1998 data. A guide for monitoring of bird, lemming and insect numbers is in preparation. Preliminary results can be requested from Sergei Khomenko or Hein van Kleef.
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