|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Vladimir Pozdnyakov
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Bykovskaya channel, Lena River delta, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (411-2)33-68-15/(411-2)42-13-72(fax) // vpozd@mail.ru // Kulakovskogo St., 12-59, Yakutsk-7, 677077, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
|
|
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| Weather conditions in spring and early summer were extremely unfavourable for waders, as spring was the latest and coldest since the start of records by meteorological station in Tiksi in 1932. Spring flood did not affect reproduction as occurred before breeding start and with low water levels. In the southern part of delta spring migration had only slight delay in comparison to usial dates, but complete snowcover in tundra and snowfalls forced waders to concentrate on scarce snowfree patches along channels and in spring mouths. Species typical for forest tundra and southern tundra could be found side by side with species high Arctic species, and often in unusial habitats. In such places moss layer was turned over by birds seeking for food, and human waste was utilised as well. Turnstones, Red Phalaropes, Curlew Sandpipers, Little, Red-necked and Temminck's Stints were dying in mass during first three weeks of June from starvation. Mean daily air temperatures passed 0^C only on 20 June, when intensive snowmelt started. On the same day Grey, Pacific Golden and Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, Ruffs, Curlew Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Little, Red-necked, and Temmink's Stints, and Long-billed Dowitchers started singing, while Dunlins also began nest-building. Accordingly waders started nesting two weeks later than usial, and at very low density. Certain species, probably, cancelled breeding completely. July in delta was not characterized by extremal events, but was generally significantly colder than usial.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
Numerous Snowy Owls and Arctic Foxes bred everywhere in delta. Pomorine Skuas nested in the northern part of delta, while Rough-legged Buzzards were forced by owls to more southerly than usial localities. Breeding was, probably, cancelled by Peregrine Falcons due to low wader numbers (one surveyed multi-year nest was empty, though adult birds remained in vicinities).
Wader reproductive success in delta was extremely low. Adverse weather conditions in the prenesting period did not allow to realise the benefits of high lemming numbers.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Lemming population was at a peak, and they successfully bred both under snow and in summer.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
|
|
|