MONITORING RESULTS OF USING NEST BOXES
IN NATIONAL NATURAL PARK “HOMILSHANSKI FORESTS”

If you remember, in 2001-2002 a group of Kharkiv ornithologists and bird lovers installed 55 nests boxes for the Tawny Owl in the oak grove in the territory of the present NPP “Homilshanski Forests”. Regular checking of nest boxes and bird observations in the area allowed to receive a lot of information how the Tawny Owl lives in the oakery.
In particular, our initial assumptions about decreasing bird numbers due to felling of old hollow trees were not confirmed. The bird density was rather high (4-6 pairs/km²), similar to the highest known figures among European populations, and bird numbers in the studied area kept stable for 10 years. With such a high density, a number of territorial pairs in the area exceeded the number of installed nest boxes. However, most pairs preferred natural hollows for nesting. Special studies to clarify to what extent the birds are supplied with hollows showed that the density of hollows in the area (1.9 hollows/10 ha) much exceeds the number of owl boxes (0.1 box/10 ha). Though this parameter much depends on the forest age, obtained results can be extrapolated to other forest-steppe oak groves of Eastern Ukraine.

Percent of the boxes where bird nested was small (1-10 or 2-18%), much more boxes birds annually used for day roosting. A role of such closed shelters especially grew in the snow period, when birds could not find protection in foliage or fallen twigs on the ground, and was maximal in cold winters with a lot of snow.
Owing to a big portion of owl boxes, using for day roosts, it was collected a rich material on feeding of birds. It is known that in terms of food preferences the Tawny Owl is a generalist: food composition changes depending on availability of potential prey species and fluctuation of their numbers. Annual collections of pellets of the Tawny Owl allowed to detect changes in food composition of these birds during different years and specify a list of species of small mammals in this area. Thus, for the first time in NPP “Homilshanski Forests” there was found the tundra vole, which range in recent years is gradually expanding to the south. In different years in pellets there were dominated remains of the bank voles, wood mice, shrew mice, which is possibly connected with fluctuation of these species numbers. The prospective of monitoring of small mammals basing on composition of pellets of birds of prey and owls is getting especially interesting in terms of the recent regulation of Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine which prohibits the usage of brake-back traps including territories of protected areas.

Artificial nests turned out to be very important to collect data on the population state of the Tawny Owl in the studied area. Well-built nest boxes are more durable than hollow trees, their location is precisely known, and they are always accessible for checking compared to the hollows, majority of which located high or on shaky trees, and many have more than one meter depth with rather a narrow entrance.

PLACING OF ARTIFICICIAL NEST BOXES IN THE TERRITORY
OF KHARKIV DURING 2010-2011

Basing on experience gained in Homishanski Forests in 2010 we decided to install nests boxes in the territory of Kharkiv woodland park. It is an upland oakery with the area approximately 1,800 ha wedging in Kharkiv from the north. A central part of this forest stand is represented by a relatively little transformed oak grove; a southern part has park plantations. The main current problem of Kharkiv woodland park is allocation of its lands for building and therefore destruction of forest: such a problem is typical for large cities of Ukraine.
In autumn 2010, thirty nest boxes were made in NPP “Homilshanski Forest” and transported to Kharkiv. It was placed in November –December with participation of students of biological faculty of Karazin Kharkiv National University and young naturalists of Kharkiv Zoo. We chose these terms of installation because a peak of using nests by the Tawny Owl is the second half of winter, and they choose their nesting places, according to our observations, also not later than mid-winter. In late winter and spring the birds are more conservative in selecting nests and not so eager to occupy new shelters. Placing of nest boxes in autumn gives birds an opportunity to get accustomed to new shelters before winter comes and also maybe important for young owls in searching territories for wintering.

According to the first check in spring 2011 the type of using nest boxes by birds in the woodland park was similar to Homilshanski Forests. In both cases birds used about 30% of nest boxes for day roosting during winter. There wasn’t recorded any nesting in these artificial nests though many records of broods testify that the Tawny Owl successfully breeds in this area. We still have few data on the density of population and breeding success of owls in Kharkiv woodland park, but preliminary we can say that population density is some lower compared to the forest, and territorial pairs are distributed less equally. The food of Tawny Owls contained more birds than in Homishanski Forests but in both cases rodents were dominated.
Repeated communications about records of Tawny Owls in Shevchenko Park in the centre of Kharkiv brought us an idea to place one nest box in Kharkiv Zoo, adjoining to this park. This nest box we made from remains of the boards collected in an attic of one of the buildings, together with young naturalists in April 2011. We doubt that the Tawny Owl will nest in in, but birds may live or winter there.
Other 4 owl boxes were placed in autumn 2001 in Zadonetsky pine forest (NPP “Homilshanski Forests”). There are much fewer data on the Tawny Owl in pine forests of Eastern Ukraine, and placing of boxes will give an opportunity to fill this gap.

Generally, in addition to 53 nest boxes, installed earlier, for the last two years in Kharkiv region in three sites were placed other 35 artificial nests. Annual observations for all owl boxes are planned.

Egor Yatsyuk, NPP “Homilshanski Forests”

References:

Yatsyuk E.O. Fauna of small mammals of the upland oak grove “Homilshanski Forests” according to the data of pellet analysis of the Tawny Owl // Bulletin of Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series: Biology. Issue 7, № 814., – 2008. – P. 132-139. [in Ukrainian]

Yatsyuk E.A. Using of closed shelters by the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) in the forest steppe oak grove of NPP “Gomolshansky Forests” (Kharkov region, Ukraine) // Branta: Transactions of the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station. – Issue 13, 2010. – P. 177-183. [in Russian]

Yatsyuk E.A. Results of monitoring of population of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco L.) in the forest steppe oak grove of NPP “Gomolshansky Forests” // Ornithology of North Eurasia. Proceedings of 13th International Ornithological Conference of North Eurasia. Abstracts.. – Orenburg: Orenburg State Pedagogical University Press, 2010. – P. 338-339. [in Russian]

MIGRATION OF BIRDS OF PREY ALONG KYIV RESERVOIR

15 and 16.10.2011 we observed migration of birds of prey at one of our observation stations located to the north from the village Lebedivka (Vyshhorod district of Kyiv region) at the shore of Kyiv Reservoir. On 15 October it rained until 11 a.m., alternated with hail. Only when it stopped and the sky was getting clear, we saw single Buzzards and their pairs. Gradually, the number of birds in groups became higher, and in the afternoon the sky was full of migrating raptors.

At first, bird groups flew to the south-west, then to the south and to the end of the day the migration mass of raptors were moving to the east and south-east. The birds, which chose the latter direction, flew from the reservoir; we saw about 400 of them and for many years of observations we recorded such direction of passage for the first time. One of Buzzard’s flocks included 212 birds. Big flocks of these birds stretched for several kilometres.
We intentionally selected this territory to study migration of birds of prey. A vast area of the reservoir stretched from the north to the south makes migrating birds to keep to the left bank during their autumn passage. Thus, raptors fly around the water obstacle and form a narrow stream of migrants. Besides, after the cold spell numerous birds actively left northern territories.

As usual, we also did catching and ringing of birds of prey. We captured 2 Goshawks – adult and young.
On 16 October the weather was sunny, in the morning we saw ground frosts. The raptors migration was short and scanty. Birds flew from 09.30 to 11.20.
We have never seen in Polissia such numbers of migrating birds as it was on 15 October.

On 15 October we counted:
Buzzard – 1037 птиц; Hen Harrier – 24 (including 2 adult males); Pallid Harrier – 1 adult male; Sparrowhawk – 88; Goshawk – 3; Spotted Eagle – 1; Common Kestrel – 2.

On 16 October we counted:
Buzzard – 203; Hen Harrier – 1; Sparrowhawk – 11.

Sergey Domashevsky, Yury Demidenko

MIGRATION OF BIRDS OF PREY ALONG KREMINCHUH RESERVOIR

In the morning of 16 October 2011 we didn’t expect an active migration of raptors: air temperature was only +3oС, the sky was cloudy, a strong north wind blew. By 9 a.m. the fog had fallen at the altitude of about 50 m above ground. However, first several Buzzards flew at a low height immediately after the sunrise, and about 10 a.m. we recorded single Buzzards and their groups up to 5 individuals migrating at the edge of the fog – up to 50 m altitude. Sometimes they disappeared from the field of view, making a small turn. About 11 a.m. the fog slightly rose and the passage became more obvious – we saw groups of Buzzards up to 15 ind. Having made by that time bird counts at ponds near the village Irkliiv (Cherkasy region) we moved for some km to the point convenient for observations of migratory birds at the shore of Kreminchuh Reservoir. Gradually the fog cleared away and raptors flew abundantly. From 12.00 to 13.00 Buzzards flew as almost a continuous stream, only sometimes delaying in thermals. Together with them Sparrowhawks migrated, single individuals of other birds of prey were also recorded. Often it was impossible to distinguish separate flocks, and we sorted them out only according to time of their passage or as more concentrated groups of birds. Such groups included from 20 to 120 birds. From 12.00 to 13.00 over 1,000 birds flew, i.e averagely 170 Buzzards were passing the observation point each 10 minutes. After that, during each two hours of observation about 600 Buzzards passed. We stopped observations at 15.20 though the migration was still going on.

In total, we counted more than 2600 Buzzards, 119 Sparrowhawks, 4 Goshawks, 7 Hen Harriers, 1 Rough-legged Buzzard и 2 Black Kites.

Such a late meeting of two single kites was еspecially interesting, we took a good look of them, and there’s no doubt in accuracy of their identification. All the birds migrated along the shore of Kremenchuh Reservoir to the west and north-west, which is a typical direction of raptor’s autumn migration in this area since they aim to fly around the water area of the reservoir.
All migrating Buzzards according to their phenotype belonged to nominative subspecies and had rather dark underparts. We also observed one individual of the Common Buzzard with an untypical coloration – from below the bird was almost white, slightly cream-coloured, only a dark craw and two small spots on a wing’s bend proved that it was the Buzzard. Sergey Domashevsky was lucky to take picture of a Buzzard of similar colouration to take picture of a Buzzard of similar colouration.

We assume, that intensive migration of the Buzzards was explained by several factors: warm weather of September and the first half of October, and also a sharp fall of temperature before the beginning of migration. The concentration of birds along the shore of the reservoir played an important role as well.
Taking into account the communication by A.Stativa about intensive migration of raptors in Sumy region (15.10.2011 there were recorded 468 Buzzards), and the observations by S.Domashevksy in Kyiv region we can only suggest a general scale of Buzzard’s migration at that period. It is interesting, that westward, in Zhytomyr region (communication of I.Polyushkevich, 17.10.2011), there wasn’t recorded intensive migration of raptors; also any pronounced migration wasn’t observed in the east of Ukraine (pers. com. by V.Vetrov).
Basing on data of V.M.Galushin (1971) about breeding density of Buzzards, their breeding success and productivity we can conclude that for a couple of days Central and North Ukraine was crossed by the Buzzards which nested in the area of several tens of thousands square kilometres, apparently they were from north regions of Ukraine and adjacent areas of Russia.

Maxim Gavrilyuk, Alexandr Ilyukha

As you probably remember from the earlier article, eight Saker’s chicks were marked in their nests, each of them got its own name.

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Authors of photos: M.Gavrilyuk, M.Prommer, V.Vetrov, Yu.Milobog

The male, named «Gagarin» was marked 1 June 2011 on Kerch Peninsula. Why ‘Gagarin’? There are several reasons of it. Yury Gagarin was the first spaceman and we wanted the chick’s flight to be distant and successful, and also the name of our leading saker’s expert in Ukraine is Yury (and he was born exactly on the Cosmonautics Day). So, could we give the chick any other name? Gagarin flew out of the nest already 5 June, but not far away; 11 June he flew for the distance of 100 m. At first he was staying in the vicinity of the nest and often returned into it. About a month he was keeping within the nesting area; after 10 July extended the territory of his flight over Kerch Peninsula; on 22 June went on an eastward trip around the Sea of Azov. It took for him a total of 5 days to fly over the sea and realize that ‘east or west the Crimea is best’. From late July until now he has chosen for himself rather a limited area on Tarkhankut Peninsula and stay there (map of movements).

The female «Irina» was marked in the same nest with Gagarin. We intended to see a route of flight chosen by two birds from the same nest. This chick was named after a local girl, showed us the way to the nest. Surprisingly, but the female had the same preferences as her brother. Having made the first flight attempt on 2 June, on the 12th of June she for the first time flew away for the distance of 100 m. Similar to her brother, she for a long time stayed not far from the nest. Only since the beginning of the third decade of July, she expanded her flight territory over Kerch Peninsula. On 5 August, Irina went eastward almost following the route of her brother, though made during five days a much larger hook around the Sea of Azov. Having visited the regions of Rostov, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk on 9 August she returned to the Crimea across Kherson region. Immediately after that, she flew to Tarkhankut, only a dozen kilometers from the place where her brother had stayed. However, Irina chose a different area – closer to Sivash, where she continues to stay until now (map of movements).

The female, named «Nadia», (Hope) was marked on 2 June in the foothills of the Crimea. She was the youngest of the marked birds, and we all hoped that she would survive and be able to tell much about her movements. She flew out of the nest on 16 June, and 21 June she already flew away for the distance of 1.1 km from the nest, but still held within the nesting area. On 19 July Nadia started her journey by flying to Kakhovske Reservoir, then along the Azov coast eastward into Rostov region, where near the village Novostoevka she turned opposite direction and 29 July returned to the Crimea (map of movements). But soon the bird died. The signal for a long time went from one point – from a forest belt in agricultural lands near the village Tokareve (Kirovske district, Crimea). Some later, by our request, S. Prokopenko after thorough and persistent search found some remains of our dead bird and the transmitter. The cause of death was not possible to establish – the forest fire in that place destroyed all evidences. The found transmitter will be repaired and used next year to mark a saker falcon in Ukraine.

A male named «Tarkhankut» was marked on the eponymous peninsula on 4 June. His first flight of more than 150 m he made 7 June. Exactly for one month he stayed within the nesting area and 8 July flew eastward, overcoming 150 km per one day, and next day the same distance, having reached by the evening the vicinity of Kerch City. What an amazing agility for a chick only a month after leaving his nest! On 10 July, he was near the village Zaboysky on Taman Peninsula, where turned around and flew back to the Crimea, again flying 180 km per day. On 13 July in the morning he was in his nesting area only a few hundred meters from the nest. He easily found the way back to the nest at a straight distance of 400 km! For a week Tarkhankut again held within his nesting territory, gathering strength. On 20 July, he flew on a northward journey, reaching 22 July the neighborhood of Svitlovodsk City (Kirovohrad region). And then across Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions on 25 July he returned to the Crimea. In the evening of 28 July he was again at his nest. In the morning of 6 August, he went on a long journey – the received signals indicated that he flew to the west over the Black Sea and spent night already in Romania. Then Tarkhankut flew southward through Bulgaria and Turkey, crossed the Bosphorus, and with short stops moved over Turkey, having reached the Mediterranean coast on 3 September. In the morning of 4 September he was on Cyprus, where spent 4 days. After this he returned to Turkey, and soon the transmitter started sending signals from one point. Soon Turkish colleagues told M. Prommer, the project manager for the saker research, that they found a dead bird of prey with the transmitter. Tarkhankut died of electrocution in the territory of Konya National Park (map of movements).

The male «Chernomor» was marked on 4 June in the area of Tarkhankut Peninsula. On 8 June, he flew a distance of about 50 m away from the nest, but stayed for a long within his nesting territory. In the morning of 22 July he went on a journey by flying per day approximately 260 km to Mykhailivka district of Zaporizhzhia region. Having reached on 23 July the village Virnopillia (Izium district) Chernomor turned the opposite direction and soon came back. Since 27 July he chose for himself rather a limited area in Zaporizhzhia region (map of movements).

The male named «Kurgan» (Mound) was marked in the area of Tarkhankut Peninsula on 5 June. He got its name because of two mounds located in the vicinity of his nest. On 11 June he for the first time flew for the distance of about 100 m from the nest. Until the end of July he stayed within two rather limited areas, making flights up to several dozens of kilometers. On 31 July he set off for a northward journey and reached by the evening the vicinity of the village Piskoshenе (Veselе district of Zaporizhzhia region) having overcome more than 220 km. However, the next day, morning of 1 August, he flew back and the same evening was in the Crimea, where continues staying until now (map of movements).

The male, called «Kazak» (Cossack), was marked in Hornostaivka district of Kherson region on 6 June. We hoped that he would be a worthy successor of brave Cossack folk. But it was not his fortune; the last signal was received from the chick still in the nest on 12 June. This is the most mysterious disappearance of a chick with the transmitter. We cannot exclude a version that the chick was taken out of the nest and the transmitter was destroyed. When, after a week, Yury Milobog checked this area he revealed neither chick nor transmitter.

A male called «Schastlivchik» (Lucky) did not justify his name. At first, on 6 June we found the chick under the power line pole where his nest was located, on the right bank of the Dnieper in Kherson region. Careful examination showed that the chick didn’t have any damage, and flew well, which he successfully demonstrated to us after we tagged the transmitter and returned him to the nest. If we had not returned him to the nest he might have been eaten by the fox, which den was nearby. The chick left the nest after 9 June. Probably he died at the very first day. After some time, we received several signals of the transmitter at the distance of approximately 200 m from the nest just under the wires of power lines. Yu. Milobog with V. Strigunov twice visited this place to search the transmitter. But their efforts were unavailing – it disappeared.

ТThus, of 8 marked chicks 3 died during the first 3 months, another disappeared and the cause is unknown reasons. These data confirm a higher mortality in the first-year sakers. Movements of sakers from Ukraine are similar to those of Hungarian sakers. Already in mid-July, some birds can fly away from their nest for hundreds of kilometers, so a record of young sakers in this period is not always an evidence of nesting in the observation area.

I would like to express gratitude for the project management and taking care of marked birds to M. Prommer (Hungary), and to Yury Milobog, Vladimir Strigunov and Sergey Prokopenko for their extra efforts in searching the lost chicks.

On-line maps of saker’s movements will be soon available at our website.

Maxim Gavrilyuk

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.

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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.

First days of June we very rarely had a chance to see displaying males of the Houbara Bustard. Their gracious rushes could be observed only in the morning hours. More often we saw groups of birds, gathering up to 4 individuals. On takyrs at the same time there were appearing small chicks of the Caspian Plovers. Parents almost always tried to lead away a man from their babies, imitating an injured bird.
Immature individuals of vagrant Short-toed Eagle became occuring more frequently. These birds apparently preferred certain sites where they constantly hunted or rested. More likely, it was determined by enough quantity of snakes and lizards.
On the 3d and 4th June we observed first hatchings of Steppe Eagle’s chicks. In that period females allowed the car very close, and we took rather good photos. The last meeting of the Crested Honey Buzzard was 6 June. And 11 June we encountered the first fledged Houbara’s chick which managed to fly the distance of about 40 m. By this time, vegetation of the semi-desert had apparently faded in the burning sunbeams. Songs of skylarks in the early morning became rare. In the evenings Asian Desert Warblers performed their solo, ready for the second clutch. New the village Kirovskoe (Tansyk) on a concrete pole of the power line for several days we had been observing a resting adult Imperial Eagle. Once, a male also joined to a female hovering over the riparian woodland. However, our thorough search in the riparian woodland on the both banks of the Ayaguz didn’t give any result. That is why a probability of breeding the Imperial Eagle in this area is still disputable. But when searching a nest of the Imperial Eagle we many times saw a male of the Asian Sparrowhawk carrying captured lizards to the nest. Near the camp, in willow bushes at the Tansyk River, 13 June we heard thin voices of chicks of the Long-eared Owl. All time, living near us, these owls behaved very covertly, only once the male discovered his presence by a displaying call. There wasn’t any nest, so we concluded that the female possibly laid her clutch on tightly packed branches of bushes. At Lake Chemkazh we observed a joined brood of Shelducks where the pair led 78 chicks of different age. But, about one week later, only 57 chicks remained. 20 June we recorded fledglings of the Common Kestrel. A female of the Black Grouse, having at least 4 chicks of a quail’s size, was seen in the bushes at Lake Chemkazh. The same site we encountered 2 large chicks of the Bustard calmly going away from the car without traits of disturbance. The female stood aside, at the reeds, and attentively watched our actions and her chicks. 23 June we checked breeding success of the Lesser Kestrels which lived in chimneys of the abandoned village. Only in one nest, earlier contained 3 eggs, we found 2 chicks. In other two nests the clutches were destroyed – one because of falling the wall with the nest, another nest was empty. That day we also checked the nest of the Short-toed Eagle. The female in the nest allowed our car to the distance of 6-7 m and only then flew off. The tray still had an egg. An interesting was a find of the Long-legged Buzzard’s nest on a roof of the open shed at the solitary tree. Four large chicks were ready to leave the nest in about a week. As usual, there weaved their round nests Indian Sparrows. Contrary to the last year, this year failed in registration of the Pallas`s Sandgrouse – only 5 records. However, there were lots of Black-bellied Sandgrouses, enough number of them concentrated at watering places.

25 June we left hospitable Balkhash steppes and went to Alma-Ata. Ahead it was a fascinating excursion to Charynsky Canyon and two-days visit to Tiеn Shan. There we had a good time in Natural Nature Park “Kulsai Koldery”.

During this continuous expedition we recorded a total of 183 bird species.
Among birds of prey in Balkhash area there were registrations of the following species::

Osprey – migratory, rare
Honey Buzzard – migratory, rare
Crested Honey Buzzard – migratory, rare
Black-eared Kite– breeding, common
Hen Harrier – migratory, rare
Pallid Harrier – breeding, common
Montagu`s Harrier – breeding, scanty
Marsh Harrier – breeding, rare
Goshawk – migratory, rare
Sparrowhawk – migratory, common
Asian Sparrowhawk – breeding, scanty
Rough-legged Buzzard – migratory, rare
Long-legged Buzzard – breeding, common
Common Buzzard (B. b. vulpinus) – migratory, rare
Short-toed Eagle – breeding, rare
Booted Eagle – breeding, rare
Steppe Eagle – breeding, scanty
Imperial Eagle – vagrant individuals, rare
Golden Eagle – vagrant individuals, rare
Pallas`s Fish Eagle – vagrant individuals, rare
White-tailed Eagle – vagrant individuals, rare
Himalayan Vulture – (Tien Shan) – breeding
Saker Falcon – breeding, rare
Peregrine Falcon – migratory, rare
Hobby Falcon – breeding, scanty
Merlin – migratory, rare
Lesser Kestrel – breeding, rare
Common Kestrel – breeding, common

Among Owls:
Eagle Owl – breeding, rare
Long-eared Owl – breeding, rare
Short-eared Owl – breeding, common

Sergey Domashevsky

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 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.

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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.

Some members of the expedition team were extremely lucky to see the saiga antelope, presently rare Kazakhstan animal. The saigas were occasionally seen in the only one part of our study area. Our group observed one female and two males. Having seen the car all animals quickly ran away. Such behaviour was due to an active press of poachers. Recent years the demand for saiga horns dramatically increased, and they are illegally transported to China to use in oriental medicine. The major range of this species lies in Central Kazakhstan. Vast herds of the saiga, once roamed in the territory, is now in the distant past. Staff-workers of the Nature Conservation Inspection told us about a case when a large habitat of the saiga after a failed rocket launch was covered with plenty of rocket fuel, resulting in deaths of 1.3 million animals of this steppe species. Three years later this situation repeated, causing 800,000 deaths of saigas.

In the semi-desert foxes were frequently recorded. Once in the headlights of the car along the road we have long pursued the corsac fox. This is a small fox inhabiting the steppe and desert zones.

To be continued …

Sergey Domashevsky

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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.

Along the road we often found a variety of birds and with Alexandr Vinchevsky (Belarus) counted birds of prey. The nests of some large species such as the Black-eared Kite, Long-legged Buzzard and Steppe Eagle were sometimes located right beside the road. The Common Kestrel was recorded along the roads in forest belts where this bird occupied nests of magpies, black crows and rooks. During this period we also observed migrating birds of prey. For 1,380 km of the route we have counted: Osprey – 2; Black-eared Kite – 114; Marsh Harrier – 3; Montagu’s Harrier – 3; Hen Harrier – 2; Pallid Harrier – 13; Goshawk – 2; Sparrowhawk – 5; Common Buzzard – 1 ; Long-legged Buzzard – 26, Steppe Eagle – 7; eagles sp. – 3; Merlin – 1; Common Kestrel – 245. It was noted several mortality cases of birds because of car collisions – three of Steppe Eagles, and also one of a light-coloured female of the harrier. Since we moved as a procession, we had no opportunity to stop and inspect dead birds. The same situation was with the inspection and photographing of roadside nests.

We located our camp in the semi-desert, 30 km from the village of Aktogay on the bank of the shrinking Tansyk River. Our studies were conducted in Ayaguz and Urdzhar areas. It is a plain territory alternating with Kazakh small hills. On some hills there are rocky outcrops, some of them up to 15-20 m high. These areas are densely populated with birds of prey, their nests located in all suitable niches and shelves. Birds of prey also nested on trees. Usually they chose short black saxauls, and in riparian forests of the Ayaguz River they used tall poplars. During this period, Pallied Harriers were actively displaying, and their games could be seen in the air just above the camp. Long-legged Buzzards already had complete clutches. Kites were engaged in repairing nests and mating games. Steppe Eagles incubated fresh clutches, some couples still kept near the empty nests, though eggs didn’t appear. Among owls the Short-eared Owl was common, rarely the courtship of the Long-eared Owl was heard. Near the camp there were found remains of the Eagle Owl. Alive birds of this species we had no chance to meet. During this time it was migration of birds of prey, waterbirds and passerines to distant Siberia.

To be continued …

Sergey Domashevsky

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Photo: M.Prommer, M.Gavrilyuk, V.Vetrov, H.Torok

As we wrote in the previous material, the project aimed at protection and study of the Saker Falcon has been implemented in countries of Eastern Europe since 2007. One of its directions is studying migration of these raptors using satellite telemetry. Generally, over the period 2007-2010 our colleagues marked over 30 Saker Falcons. It was found out that young birds widely roamed over the steppe zone of Eastern Europe: thus, birds born in Hungary often visited the territory of Ukraine. It has lead to the idea of marking birds in Ukraine as well.

Hungarian ornithologists supplied us with 9 satellite transmitters, for which we are sincerely grateful to the project manager Jozsef Fidloczky, and to Saker experts from Bükk National Park Directorate and MME/BirdLife Hungary. Participants of the expedition were Yury Milobog, Maxim Gavrilyuk, Vitaly Vetrov, Vladimir Strigunov, Matyas Prommer (MME/BirdLife Hungary), Hunor Török (Bükk National Park Directorate, Hungary), Szilárd Daróczi (Milvus Group, Romania).
Preliminary, it was planned to mark Saker’s chicks in several regions of Ukraine to clarify differences in directions of their further migration. Besides, we intended marking birds which nest in different places – on cliffs, power line poles and clay precipices (in case of they survive until their first breeding we will be able to find out their fidelity in selection nesting sites).

All participants of the expedition have met on the 30th May in Kryvyi Rih City and next morning departed to Kherson region. However, works of the first day changed further plans because after investigation of clay precipices, where during the expedition-2009 we had found 6 occupied nests of the Saker Falcon, we found only one nest with 4 chicks. In other two sites tracks evidenced presence of single Sakers. Sakers in this discovered nest were too adult for marking and there was a great danger that all of them could fly out. That is why decided to refuse their ringing. Diet of these Saker Falcons was characteristic – among food remains we observed feathers of the Slender-billed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls which in this region were common species among gulls. Only later, in the end of expedition, we succeeded to find another nest of the Saker located on a clay precipice. Traced it from the distance we came to the nest right after the female returned with her prey. Chicks, enthusiastically eating, almost neglected our presence and we could observe their meal from the distance of only several metres. The nest contained 4 feathered chicks, one of them further was equipped with a satellite transmitter. The most unexpected was diet of this pair – in the nest and nearby we revealed remains of 11 Stone Curlews, also 4 Magpies, 4 Partridges, a Roller, Nightjar, Moorhen, Turtle Dove. And this was in spite of abundance of gulls in their breeding site.
The most numerous birds of prey among those inhabited clay precipices turned out to be Common Kestrels. On 16 kilometres of these biotopes bordering with fields and steppe areas we encountered 36 pairs of Common Kestrels, estimated their total number as at least 50-60 pairs. We revealed a nest of these birds with 5 eggs and also another nest with 2-3 feathered chicks. Among other raptors of clay precipices there were counted: Red-footed Falcon – 4 pairs, Marsh Harrier – 12, Little Owl -1. On a field we flushed the Short-eared Owl which for a long time flied in circles, being probably disturbed at the nest.
Later, during 1-5 June our route crossed steppes and foothills of the Crimea. However, Sakers continued making adjustments in our plans. On Kerch Peninsula we visited 4 known nests but only one of them was occupied. The nest sheltered 4 chicks, and we decided to mark two of them – a male and female. Diet of this pair was rather diverse – in the nest we discovered remains of 2 small sousliks, 2 Partridges, 2 Rock Doves and 1 Short-eared Owl.
Since our main aim was checking of known nests of the Saker, data on other birds of prey were collected indirectly and cannot pretend to be complete. On Kerch Peninsula we counted: Marsh Harrier – 11 ind., Hobby Falcon – 9; Common Kestrel – 9, Long—legged Buzzard – 1; Little Owl – 3. It was found a nest of the Common Kestrel with 6 downy chicks, located in an old Magpie’s nest.
In the foothills of the Crimean we visited 8 known breeding sites. Searching nests in these sites often requires a lot of time, but only in one site we observed an adult male of the Saker, an in another we found an occupied nest. In the nest located in the rock niche there were 3 feathering chicks, one of them we marked with a satellite transmitter. Here, among food remains we revealed: little souslik, 2 Rooks, 2 Common Kestrels, a Starling, Calandra Lark and Hoopoe. Fauna of birds of prey in the foothills were slightly different, though Common Kestrels still dominated (at least 20 pairs counted – underestimation), Peregrine Falcon – single and one pair with their brood; Short-toed Eagle – single and a pair; Imperial Eagle – juvenile and 2 occupied nests; Long-legged Buzzard – 2 ind. and 2 pairs; Griffon Vulture – 2; Black Vulture – 2; Buzzard – 1; Sparrowhawk – 1; Hobby Falcon – 1. A pleasant surprise for participants of the expedition was a discovery of the Imperial Eagle’s nest, located on a power line pole. In the nest there was one chick in the second downy plumage with growing flight feathers. We succeeded to see an adult bird carrying a souslik in the nest. This is only the second case of the Imperial Eagle’s nesting on poles of power lines in Ukraine though in other regions (eg. Russia) Imperial Eagles rather often make nests on poles of power lines. We also checked the tree nest of other pair of Imperial Eagles which we knew for many years and saw that it was occupied again.
Visits to breeding sites of the Saker on Tarkhankut Peninsula were not effective as well – of 8 known nests only 4 were occupied. And only one nest with chicks was found on Tarkhankut cliffs. There were 4 chicks but too old to be marked. In this region we marked with a satellite transmitter one chick from the brood composed of 4 birds in the nest located on a power line pole. In diet of this pair prevailed Rooks – 7 ind., also there were found 3 Mediterranean Gulls, a Quail and a young Night Heron. The third Saker’s nest contained at least 3 feathered chicks.
Among raptors of Tarkhankut precipices Common Kestrels again dominated – we counted 19 pairs (underestimation); Red—footed Falcon – 7; Saker – 2; Little Owl – 1. In the steppe part of Tarkhankut Peninsula the Red-footed Falcons prevailed. Here, there were counted: Red-footed Falcon – 38 ind., Common Kestrel – 18, Marsh Harrier – 2, Shot-toed Eagle – 1, Hobby Flacon – one pair at the nest, Long-legged Buzzard – 1, Buzzard – 2, Honey Buzzard – 1, Little Owl – 1. Also it should be noted several meetings with Honey Buzzards which do not breed in this region. Probably they were late migrants.
In the steppe part of Central Crimea situation with the Saker Falcon was slightly better – we visited 4 known sites, two of them had occupied nests, and also found 2 new nests. In one of these nests, located on a power line pole, one of 4 chicks was marked with a satellite transmitter. This pair preferred Corvidae in their diet – we revealed 3 Rooks, 3 Magpies and 1 Raven. In other Saker’s nest there were at least 2 chicks. Slightly unexpected was location of the nest of one of the pairs – they placed it on top of a solitary power line pole which occurs very rarely. In the nest we were able to see only one chick in the second downy plumage.
We checked also already known nest of the Imperial Eagles located on a power line pole. According to colleagues ornithologists (Yu.Andryushchenko and V.Popenko, pers. comm.) in spring the female had incubated the clutch. However, during our visit the nest was empty. Unfortunately, this pair is also well known to poachers whose for last several years didn’t give them a chance to breed. Nearby we observed a pair of adult Imperial Eagles and another juvenile bird. In this part of the Crimea the Red-footed Falcons dominated – 39 pairs counted, Common Kestrel – 27 pairs, Long-legged Buzzard – 9, Marsh Harrier – 4, Honey Buzzard – 1, Little Owl – 2. During one of our stops in the evening we counted a brood of Long-eared Owl and 2 males of Scops Owl.
In the course of Crimean expedition we also checked 6 artificial nest boxes, mounted by V.Vetrov and S.Domashevsky for the Saker in 2010, which we described in the previous web-publication. None of them in the current year was occupied with Sakers (though in 2010 Sakers nested in one of them), one nest box disappeared, and two were occupied with the Common Kestrel and Raven respectively.
Further our route again crossed Kherson Oblast where for two days we checked 10 known nests of the Saker, 8 of them were with chicks. However, two nests contained only 1 chick in each, and under one of them we saw clear tracks of the car. Two more nests evidenced recent presence of chicks in them and hardly had they fledged themselves. These facts show that poachers continue taking chicks from the nests. We marked with satellite transmitters two chicks in different nests. In other nests of Sakers in Kherson region the brood size equaled 2-3 chicks. In the Saker’s diet it was registered 2 Rooks, and the pellet contained a vole.
Within Kherson region, mainly among agricultural lands, there were dominated Kestrels – 15 pairs (including 4 nests on power lines), Buzzard – 3; Long-legged Buzzard – 1; Hobby Falcon – 1; Marsh Harrier – 1; Short-eared Owl – 2; Montagu’s Harrier – 1 female; and one Harrier’s female of light coloration which we didn’t indentified as a species. At the stop, in the evening we observed 2 males of the Scops Owl. At the shore of Kakhovske Reservoir we revealed a new pair of White-tailed Eagles – we observed an adult bird carrying a fish to the nest.
In the late evening of 6 June, having a serous breakage of one of our cars we returned to Kryvyi Rih. Next day our European colleagues visited two nests in Odessa Oblast but since they were about to fledge they did not use the last satellite transmitter. We are going to attach it in the nearest time to one of adult Saker Falcons in the Crimea.

Therefore, in the course of expedition there were checked 34 known breeding sites of the Saker and found 6 new ones. Only 19 of them had occupied nests. Undoubtedly, with more scrupulous search it could be possible to find new nests for some of these pairs. However it is clear that the breeding success of Sakers in 2011 is low. It is rather hard to reveal exact reasons; possibly cold spring of this year provided this negative effect. But, undoubtedly, Sakers still suffer from press of poachers taking chicks and catching adult females.

In the course of the expedition we discussed possible directions for further cooperation to study and protect birds of prey. In conclusion, we would like to thank our colleagues from Hungary and Romania for their sincere interest in studying the Saker in Ukraine, for profound evenings with lesson of English, Hungarian and Romanian and degustation of national dishes.

Results of satellite tracking of Sakers will be available at our website when juvenile birds leave their breeding sites – more likely in August or September.

Maxim Gavrilyuk, Yury Milobog, Vitaly Vetrov, Vladimir Strigunov.

We initiated the monitoring of the White-tailed Eagle population in 1992. That time numbers of this rare raptor in the Dnieper valley just started to restore and a discovery of every nest was a big event. Each year and expedition after expedition the territory of our studies expanded, and the numbers of the White-tailed Eagle also increased. At present, we know approximately 50 breeding sites of the White-tailed Eagle within regions of Chernihiv, Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad and Poltava.

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Annual monitoring includes occupation control of known breeding sites, search for new pairs, control of breeding success and productivity, organization of protection for breeding sites.
Results of these studies were reflected in a dissertation (PhD thesis) (Gavrilyuk 2002), and in individual publications (Gavrilyuk, Grishchenko, 1999; Gavrilyuk, Grishchenko, 2000; 2008 etc.). Over the 19 years we tracked 111 breeding cases. It is established that the average breeding success is 74%, i.e. approximately ¼ pairs breed successfully. Mostly the reason of unsuccessful breeding is hard to find out, however we know cases when these eagles did not breed chicks because of forestry activity in their breeding period or human disturbance.

The main factor affecting birds in breeding places is tree felling. Since eagles prefer nest-building in the oldest parts of forests, they are the most “tasty” for woodcutters. The most demonstrative is the fate of pairs nesting near the village of Kedina Hora (Zolotonosha district of Cherkasy region). Of the six known nesting trees four trees were cut down (see map). As a result of felling, birds were forced to build a new nest almost every year. Currently, the forest area in the breeding site is an alternation of felling and forest strips (fresh felling is not shown in the map). It is the strip, where birds arranged their nest at the moment (see photo). In the forest stand near the village of Lozivok (Cherkasy region) the felling in 2008 left the nesting tree on the edge of the clearing. The eagles, bred in this nest for about 20 years, were forced to move. Next year the nesting tree started drying (see photo). Such cases, unfortunately, are not uncommon. Totally, we know at least 6 cases of cutting down trees with nests of the eagles, of 3 pairs. More often eagles suffer from thinning, when a nesting tree itself is not cut down, but as a result of neighboring trees being cut the eagles finally leave their nest. In places, considerable damage is brought with spring fires in pine forests, after which areas with nesting sites of eagles dry out. At the same time the eagles are able to adapt to such conditions of nesting. We know five nests built on the edge of overgrowing clearings and quite well protected by eagles, therefore being not the most comfortable place for forest walks of nature lovers.

Most frequently the White-tailed Eagles hatch one chick (56% breeding success), a bit rarer – two (41%), and rarely – three chicks (3%). Average number of chicks per successfully bred pair is 1.49; average number of chicks per a pair which participate in breeding – 1.11. Chick mortality can be caused by cannibalism or loss of forage (2 cases); fall out of the nest (three cases).

In different years joint expeditions were participated with my friends, colleagues and relatives: N.N.Borisenko, G.P.Gera, V. N.Grishchenko, S. V.Domashevsky, A.V.Ilyukha, R.V.Salamatin, E.D.Yablonovskaya-Grishchenko and my wife Oksana, for all of whom I would like to express my gratitude. Also many thanks to S.V.Domashevsky, Yu.V.Kuzmenko, R. Sorish, which gave me additional information on productivity of the White-tailed Eagles.

If you have experience in observation and the desire to study one of the largest birds of prey in our region, join the program for population monitoring. Due to the fact that we have few people in our team, we manage to control only a part of the breeding population and cannot timely react to the threats that emerge near their nests. Your participation can bring the benefit to the study and protection of this species, which is in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Maxim Gavrilyuk

References

Gavrilyuk M.N. White-tailed Eagle in Ukraine: current status, biology and protection.– abstract of the thesis… PhD of Biology. – Kyiv, 2002. – 20 p.[in Ukrainian]

Gavrilyuk M., Grishchenko V. Breeding success of the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Ukraine in 1988-1998 // The Ring. (Abstracts of the 2-nd Meet. of European Ornithologists Union and 3-rd Internat. Shrike Symposium). – 1999. – V. 21, №1. – P. 142.

Gavrilyuk M.N., Grishchenko V.N. Current status of the White-tailed Eagle population in the Middle Dnieper area // Berkut. – 2000. – Vol.9, Iss. 1-2. – P. 28-38. [in Russian]

Gavrilyuk, M. N., Grishchenko, V. M. Productivity of the White-tailed Eagle breeding in Ukraine during 1988-2008 // Latest studies on Birds of Prey and Owls. Proceedings of the 3d International Scientific Conference «Birds of Prey of Ukraine», Kryvyi Rih, 24-25 October 2008. – P. 79-85. [in Ukrainian]

The Chornobyl alienated zone always attracts researches with its wild surroundings almost deprived of traces of human activity, and with abundance of various groups of animals and birds. We used a chance to realize our old desire for searching Strigiformes birds in this region, and carried out counts 21 to 25.03.2011.

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For this purpose we applied a well-known method of provoking owls by records of their voices. In forest sites we played voices of the Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owls, Great Grey Owl, in open areas – those of the Eagle Owl. Records of the Tawny Owl we used only occasionally since the species is numerous in forest areas and frequently responses voices of the above-mentioned owl species.

Information on availability of owls in the alienated zone is very poor. Data on the Great Grey Owl is limited by 6 encounters, mainly in the western part of the zone (Gashchak et al. 2006; Domashevsky 2004; pers. comm. A.V. Yastremsky). A Pygmy Owl was observed in twilight at Belorus border by S.P. Gashchak 30.06.2009 (pers. comm.) In addition, there were several records of the Eagle Owl including a fledgling found nearby the atomic station (Gashchak et al. 2006).

We started owl counts when twilight came. Moving by automobile in the forest area we made stops each 600-1000 m and played bird voices. At first we used records of small owls and finished with large ones. In opener territories (river valleys, overgrowing fields) we provoked with voices of the Eagle Owl each 2 km. This way we actively worked until midnight, then took a little rest and renewed counts from 4.00 a.m. to the sunrise. During the daytime we studied bird migration. Night counts covered the distance of approximately 137 km. The overall automobile route travelled in the alienated zone equaled to 860 km.

In the process of counts only 2 owl species were revealed: Tawny and Long-eared Owls. Besides, some small owl flickered in the car headlights in Krasno Village. Once, an owl (Tawny or Long-eared) without giving the voice approached very closely in Kopachi Village. No doubt, these results are more than scanty; they do not reflect real numbers and species composition of owls in this territory. Weather conditions also impaired the result since the last night in a promising region of counts was windy and rainy.
Diurnal migrations were not very active because of wind and some precipitation (rain, and 25.03 snow that turned into rain). Among Falconiformes there were registered: Common Buzzard – 22, Hen Harrier – 5, Sparrowhawk – 3, Goshawk – 2. Local Common Buzzards stayed near their breeding areas. Only 1 Kestrel from the breeding population was registered, all the rest did not arrived yet from their wintering grounds. The White-tailed Eagle was observed 14 times, of them 12 birds in adult plumage. Two Ravens were captured and ringed in the Uzh river valley. Everywhere in morning hours it was heard displaying of Black Grouses which are in a great number there. At night we were entertained by howling of wolves, which are also numerous in the zone, one beast even walked in front of the car at the 20 m distance. Hoofed animals also were frequently seen.

Results of these counts do not mean that such species as the Eagle Owl, Great Grey Owl, Tengmalm’s and Pygmy Owls are absent in the Chornobyl alienated zone. There is a need in further expansion of searching territory and repeated investigations in promising areas.

We are sincerely grateful to the company management of “Baker Tilly Ukraine” for the sponsorship of these field studies.

Sergey Domashevsky, Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre
Igor Chizhevsky, Chornobyl Radioecological Centre”
Sergey Gashchak, State Scientific Research Organization “Chornobyl Centre on Issues of Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and its Radioecology”

References

Gashchak S.P., Vishnevsky O.O., Zalisky O.O.: Fauna of vertabrates of the Chornobyl alienated zone (Ukraine). – Publishing house of the Chornobyl Cetre on Issues of Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and its Radioecology”, 100 p. [in Ukrainian]

Domashevsky S.V. 2004.: Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) in Kyiv Polissia. – Vestnik Zoologii 38 (2): 20. [in Russian]