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RESPONDENT
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Pavel Tomkovich
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SITE NAME
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Turquoise Lake, SW Alaska, USA
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (495)6294474/(495)629-48-25(fax, for P. Tomkovich) // pst@zmmu.msu.ru // Zoological Museum, Bolshaya Nikitskaya St., 6, Moscow, 125009, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Surfbird Breeding biology study
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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4.05
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17.07
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3
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Still winter environment at the start of spring (1-10 May) caused late arrival of most birds, decreased numbers of some species (Calidris minutilla, Charadrius semipalmatus, Tringa melanoleuca, Stercorarius longicaudus, several duck species and bush passerines), and delay in reproduction of some waders. Late ice-melt on lakes prohibited breeding of Arctic Terns and made nests of Common Gulls on boulders at shallows accessible to Red Foxes, which then led to appearance of late replacement clutches. Rapid rise of snow-line in mountains during warm period on 14-22 May (due to thin layer of snow) allowed start of reproduction by birds, but further snowfalls (26-30 May and 1-3 June) resulted in desertion of some nests and arrested reproduction in yet not laying pairs. Regular summer rains, probably, had no impact on reproduction.
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| Season temperature: |
average
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
7-8.05
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
20-21.05
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
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Breeding conditions:
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| Predation on eggs of waders and passerines was moderate, but Common Gulls suffered heavy. Chicks in wader broods grew rapidly. Broods of Surfbird contained more chicks and were more common than in two previous summer seasons.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemmings and Arctic Foxes do not inhabit this area; voles were very rare, but shrews had out-break.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Territory mapping of alpine and some of the valley wader species. Studies of Surfbird biology and reproductive success. Project results are summarized in a 1997-99 report available from authors; manuscripts on distribution, numbers and biology of Baird's Sandpiper is in preparation, likewise publications about Surfbird and Wandering Tattler.
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