The International Expedition in Eastern Kazakhstan Region (Balkhash Аrea). Part 3.
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos | No Comments »This post finishes a story about the scientific expedition to Kazakhstan in 2011. Part 1 is available here, Part 2 is here. The period of observations covers the middle of the third decade of May to the middle of the third decade of June
In the third decade of May the Nightjars were already actively displaying. In the evenings a pair of these birds constantly hunted in the camp area, attracted by a huge number of various insects circling in the light of electric lamps. Often, when returned late to the camp, we saw Nightjars well visible in the headlights of the car.
Photo by S.Domashevsky, May-June 2011.
Once, crossing the bridge across the Ayaguz river, we disturbed a group of White Pelicans. One of these birds had eaten so much fish that couldn’t fly off. To lift in the air it had to regurgitate its catch and only after that was able to fly away. The catch mainly consisted of minnows and some Caspian roaches. There were 395 fishes, with a total weight of 3.2 kg. Fresh and brackish lakes always were full of active bird life. In this period we could observe there up to 8 species of ducks and 13 species of waders.
Some nests of the Long-legged Buzzards were occupied by several pairs of Indian Sparrows. Their nests, similar to those in Ukraine, located among large twigs of the raptor’s construction or were stuck as balls at the margin of interlacement of lower branches of the big nest. Some rocky outputs were occupying with colonies of Rosy Starlings, some of them include over 2,000 birds.
Сurrent state of the Saker Falcon population in Ukraine
Thursday, December 29th, 2011 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, New publications | No Comments »The Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) − is a rare breeding species of birds of prey, listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Its number has sharply declined in the first half of the 20th century. Then a gradual restoration of the population started in the 1980s, and in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Milobog, 2009) the bird number was estimated as 250-300 pairs. As a result of the population growth in Europe BirdLife International in 2010 revised the conservation status of this raptor and moved it from the category «endangered» (EN) to «vulnerable» (VU). This fact caused many negative responses of birds of prey experts (see, for instance, articles of O.V.Belyalov, A.V.Moshkin in the journal “Raptors Conservation” (2010)).
The Saker population in Ukraine is extremely vulnerable. Major threats are poaching (includes taking out birds for falconry), inadequate food supply, lack of breeding sites. Therefore, we support a reasonable position to return the status «endangered» for the species.
At the Saker International Conference in Hungary, September 2010, there was presented a report by Yu. V. Milobog and V.V. Vetrov on the current state of population of this species in Ukraine and adjacent territories. As a result of more detailed studies conducted in recent years, the number was estimated as 315-345 pairs. The report is available here:
Milobog Y., Vetrov V. Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) in Ukraine and adjacent areas // Conservation of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) in Europe – Sharing the results of the life06nat/h/000096 “Conservation of the Falco cherrug in the Carpathian Basin” Project (Bukk National Park Directorate Eger, Hungary, 16-18 September 2010)
Size 40 kB, pdf-file
The International Expedition in Eastern Kazakhstan Region (Balkhash Аrea). Part 2.
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos | No Comments »This post continues a story about the scientific expedition to Kazakhstan in 2011. Part 1 is available to read here.
The middle of the first decade of May was marked with appearance of first Rosy Starlings. And the Lesser Short-toed Lark and Calandra Larks had first fledglings which become easy and accessible prey for raptors. Just at that period, we began finding first broods of the Houbara Bustard and saw displaying Asian Sparrowhawks in the river valleys of Bakanaska and Ayaguz. During daily field visits it was recorded an increasing number of migratory Sparrowhawks, Merlins, Hobby Falcons, Honey Buzzards and Crested Honey Buzzards. Sites of concentration of rodent colonies (sousliks, Libyan jirds) accumulated immature or not yet started breeding Steppe Eagles, Imperial Eagles, Long-legged Buzzard and Pallid Harriers. First chicks of Long-legged Buzzards started appearing in the nests in the late first and early second decade of May. The Quail could be already seen in mass numbers, and we often observed Pallid Harriers hunting these small Gallinaceae birds.
Photo by S. Domashevsky, May 2011.
On the river Ayaguz (flowing into Lake Balkhash) water levels began dropping and bars with rapid waters accumulated small fish species rising to spawn. It has lead to concentration of immature Black Storks (13 birds) and White Pelicans (about 200 individuals), as well as dozens of Yellow-legged and Great Black-headed Gulls, Comon Terns. In mid-May we found Great Bustard chicks aged 2-3 days. The plains and valleys of the rivers were full of small passerine birds migrating northward. Just in the river valleys there were found nesting Montagu’s Harriers, and their males often fly away to hunt at the distance up to 5 km from their nesting sites. Lesser Kestrels in the early third decade of May incubated full clutches. Their nests were located in the chimneys of destroyed buildings of an abandoned village. At the beginning of the third decade of May in a saxaul wood there it was revealed the Short-toed Eagle’s nest, located at the height of about two meters, where the female was incubating the full clutch – 1 egg. Our Hungarian colleague, Gabor Papp, birds of prey expert, was lucky to see a young Pallas’s Fish Eagle, which is now extremely rare in Kazakhstan.
The International Expedition in Eastern Kazakhstan Region (Balkhash Аrea)
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos | 2 Comments »During April – June 2011 I had the opportunity to conduct ornithological fieldworks in Kazakhstan. The expedition was organized under support of the International Fund for for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) and participated by representatives of France, UAE, Morocco, India, China, Africa, Hungary, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Great Britain. The main objective was to study the Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulate). At the same time it was collected material for other species of birds. This essay presents the results of observations conducted 14-17 April, and a series of photographs for the first month of the expedition.
Photo by S. Domashevsky, mid April – first decade of May, 2011
On the 1st of April, 2011 the swift-winged Boeing in 4.5 hours took me from the International Borispol Airport (Ukraine) to the airport of Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), than it was additional 3.5 hours of waiting and one-hour flight to Shymkent (South Kazakhstan Region). From the airplane window it could be seen snow-capped peaks of the Tian Shan, plain and hilly steppes. Waiting for the arrival of other members of the expedition and setting of the good weather in the eastern part of Kazakhstan, I had to spend 2 weeks in the city. Not to lose time, we conducted ornithological observations with our Belarusian colleagues around the city and in its parks.
On the 14th of April, the procession consisting of 16 crossover vehicles and 10 trailers set off. For 3 days we drove 1440 km, saw a variety of steppe landscapes and mountains, went along the Alatau in 100 km from the Chinese border, and only when it got dark arrived in the Ayaguz district of Eastern Kazakhstan Region.
Birds of prey in steppes of Russia – 2
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos, Video | No Comments »In a previous material we have presented the results of studies of birds of prey during the automobile trip to Orenburg for the 13th international ornithological conference. On the way back the route of our travel was changed. Observation results for birds of prey during the car expedition from Orenburg (Russia) to Luhansk (Ukraine) are presented below.
Photo: M. Gavrilyuk, V.Vetrov, E.M. Pisanets, V. Remenny
On the 4th May 2010, immediately after the conference, we left the hospitable Orenburg City and in the evening already reached a famous Buzuluk Forest (Orenburg region) where camped for the night. In the surrounding area we discovered an adult Imperial Eagle which is not unusual since the forest is known as a habitat for this species.
A pair of Steppe Eagles in their nesting site
Next morning, 5th May 2010, our team split into two groups, and afterwards went by different routes. One group composed of V. Milobog, E.M Pisanets, V. Remenny and A.Rashelevskaya, intended to reach the Ciscaucasia as fast as possible to conduct the foreseen herpetological and ornithological observations. The main purpose ofanother group including V.P. Belik, V.V. Vetrov, M.N. Gavrilyuk, E.V. Guguev, S.P. Litvinenko, A.B. Chaplygina, G.A. Yevtushenko and N.I. Konoplya was the ornithological survey in steppe areas of Volgograd and Astrakhan Regions. Below there are results of these particular observations.
Research on the population status of birds of prey in the alienated zone of the Chornobyl Atomic Power Station in summer 2010
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 Posted in Chornobyl alienation zone, Fauna, Field researches, Monitoring, Photos | No Comments »During June-July 2010 we have three times traveled to the alienated zone of the Chornobyl Atomic Power Station (CAPS), which noticeably added to our knowledge of raptors in this area. A number of visits had been also taken before, to study wintering fauna of Falconiformes.
Two visits in the alienated zone of CAPS have been associated with our participation in shooting a documentary movie about nature and self-settled people in the alienated zone. Therefore, materials on birds during these visits were collected along the way, although they gave good results. From 5 to 08.07.2010, this area has been surveyed to determine distribution and numbers of birds of prey.
We used the methodology of point census. Working in open areas where raptors are well- visible, we did counts with the optics at fixed points for a certain period of time. We recorded flying and hunting birds. Thus, we have partly examined a central section of the Uzh river valley, some of the reclaimed areas, abandoned farmlands and meadows. Birds of prey were also recorded during our movements. It has been also surveyed by vessel the section downstream from Chornobyl through the Pripyat river delta to the confluence with Kyiv Reservoir and in the opposite direction. Taking into account meanders of the river, the distance of the journey by vessel was about 60 km. Within the zone, we investigated the area of Ivankovo Region and only few areas of Polissia Region. We didn’t survey large forest stands of the north-western part of the alinetated zone – Polissia Region.
Current numbers of rare species of birds of prey in Ukraine
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 Posted in Fauna, Reviews | 1 Comment »Estimation of rare species numbers is one of the most burning issues in the bird conservation strategy. Information given in the recent new edition of the Red Book of Ukraine (2009) allows comparing the data on birds of prey to those, published previously.
Below there are data on the size of breeding populations of Falconiformes and Strigiformes of Ukraine (table). If have a look, they prove that numbers of many raptors go on declining. Compared to the previous one (Red Data Book of Ukraine, 1994) the new edition (Red Data Book of Ukraine, 2009) additionally added two species of Falconiformes and Owls. Numbers of eight species don’t exceed several dozens of pairs. Two species (Red Kite и Pallid Harrier) stopped breeding in Ukraine, another two (Osprey и Lesser Kestrel), are also obviously extinct.
For the last 15 years increase of numbers was noted for 6 species of Falconiformes, while 5 species have decreased, and 5 have a stable population; as for the other, their trend isn’t possible to estimate since they stopped breeding or breed only in few quantity.
Quite a great reduction of numbers has been recorded for the Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Spotted Eagle, Levant Sparrowhawk и Lesser Kestrel. Increased numbers have the Long-legged Buzzard, Imperial Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Saker и Peregrine Falcons. Stable, with small fluctuations, are populations of the Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Golden Eagle, Black Vulture и Griffon Vulture.
As for Owls, growth of numbers was registered for the Eagle Owl, Ural Owl and Great Grey Owl. Trends of other Strigiformes are hard to estimate reliably because these birds are poor studied.
Searching territories prospective to attract the Saker Falcon in artificial nests in the Crimea
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos | 1 Comment »From 27.02 to 3.03.2010 we conducted a survey of territories in the Crimea, prospective to attract the Saker Falcon in artificial nests. Simultaneously, the material was collected on fauna of birds of prey.
Studies were carried out in the territories of Dzhankoi, Krasnoperkopsk, Krasnohvardiiske, Nyzhn’ohirskyi, Sovietskyi, Kirovske, Feodosia, Lenine and Kerch districts. Counts of birds of prey were also done along the highway in Kherson region till the border of Dnipropetrovsk.
In the north of Kherson region there were clear evidences of winter, snow covered almost the entire surface of the ground. On the Crimean Peninsula the snow cover was observed only in the northernmost region – Krasnoperekopsk, where it lay in small patches in ditches at the sides of roads and in gutters. Maximum temperature during the day reached + 10 ˚ C, at night falling down to – 1 ˚ C. In most parts of the peninsula days were sunny, sometimes with variable cloudiness.
During censuses, we observed a well-defined migration of birds of prey, it was especially noticeable on Kerch Peninsula. The basis of migrants consisted of the Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. These species were also registered along our count routes on hunting and roost sites.
During the expedition we, as an experiment, have set 5 platforms for the Saker falcon. In order not to give a visual information for any poachers willing to “clean” falcon’s nests, we decided not to put photos at the website with results of the work.
Some research data on Birds of Prey in Mykolaiv Region
Thursday, November 5th, 2009 Posted in Fauna, Field researches, Photos | No Comments »SOME RESEARCH DATA ON BIRDS OF PREY FOR THE BREEDING SEASON OF 2009 IN MYKOLAIV REGION, UKRAINE.
Several expeditions of 2009 (April-June) collected some new data on birds of prey in Mykolaiv region. The study area was investigated from the automobile ‘Zhiguli’ and also bicycle. Among the species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (RDBU) we observed Long-legged Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Saker Falcon, Black Kite and Scops Owl (last two species were included in the new edition of RDBU).
Natural reserve ‘Yelanetsky Steppe’. Noticeable changes in the bird fauna of this area were not recorded. Since 2000 there have been known breeding of 3-4 pairs of Long-legged Buzzard (Redinov 2006). In 2009 nests of two pairs were still present in their old breeding sites. The third pair wasn’t found though had bred in 2008. Its nest in 2009 was occupied by a pair of the Goshawks. Two nests of Common Buzzard were discovered. Common Kestrel was not found, although earlier it had bred in small numbers. Numbers of Scops obviously decreased, partly because of deficit of available breeding areas.
In a breeding site of Black Kite, discovered in the vicinity of the reserve in 2000, a pair still bred in 2009.
