Some research data on Birds of Prey in Mykolaiv Region
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.
Reserve ‘Ratsynska Dacha’. We revealed breeding pairs of Common Buzzard, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Goshawk, Marsh Harrier (Oleynik, Redinov 2006). All these species were observed here already in the end of June 2009, but it is difficult to speak if their numbers were changed because the forest area was extensive and we had only a short stay. However, the following we should note. In the reserve it was known breeding of 3 pairs of Booted Eagles, and in 2009 we revealed the fourth pair (at the northern edge of the forest). It should be mentioned that in 2006 we found a nest looked like it had been built by this species, though the birds themselves were not seen. Also at the fringe of the forest we observed a Hobby Falcon, breeding of which is known there only from literary data.
Protected areas ‘Labirynt’ and ‘Vasyleva Pasika’. The literary data prove the breeding of Booted Eagle – 2, Common Buzzard – 4, Goshawk – 3 pairs (Kostyushin, Miroshnichenko 1995). In late June we counted there 2-3 pairs of Booted Eagle, 2 pairs of Black Kite, at least 2 pairs of Common Buzzards and 1 pair of Goshawk (brood). As for the latter, it was obviously underestimated. In plavni (overflow land with reedbeds) 2-3 pairs of Marsh Harriers bred.
Shyrokolanivsky study plot and the adjacent area. Bird counts in this area have been conducted since 1990. The most complete data on birds of prey have been collected since 2005, when Long-legged Buzzard was found on breeding (Redinov, Petrovich 2007). Numbers of the Long-legged Buzzard in 2009 remained the same: 4 pairs in the study plot and 1 outside (Shyrokolanivsky military ground). Similar to the previous year Common Buzzard dominated. Numbers of Goshawk decreased, it was found only 1 instead of 4 pairs bred earlier. However, it cannot be excluded that birds moved and simply weren’t revealed because of their covert behaviour. Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon and Hobby Falcon were rare in the study plot (1-2 pair of each species). At the same time the first two species of falcons are still relatively common on Shyrokolanivksy and Kyivo-Oleksandrivsky military grounds.
At the western border of Shyrokolanivksy military ground we discovered a pair of Black Kites near the nest and a pair of Saker Falcons on power lines (a nest was not found). Later, when we checked a suggested nest of kites it turned out to be unoccupied but kites seen in other area. Besides, an occupied nest of these raptors were found in April in a forest belt in the watershed of rivers Sosyk and Tsarega. This is one of the southernmost finds of this species in Mykolaiv region.
Kinburnsky Peninsula. 2 pairs of White-tailed Eagles bred in already known breeding sites. A breeding attempt of the first pair was unsuccessful, possibly chicks were taken out of the nest. Success of the breeding attempt of another bird, breeding in ‘Volyzhyn Forest’, is unknown.
It was an interesting registration of Short-eared Owls in a breeding period, possibly even 2 pairs. The owls were repeatedly disturbed on a island on Lake Chernino and in the south-eastern part of this waterbody. It was noted the displaying of 1 pair in April (comm. by Z.O.Petrovich). The literature sources mention breeding of this species on Kinburnsky Peninsula in the vicinity of ‘Volyzhyn Forest’ (Semyonov, Ardamatskaya 1992) but without specifying facts. There is an interesting communication by Mykhailo Shynkaruk (student of ecology) about his observation of the Goshawk’s brood of 5 fledglings (as we don’t know even about clutches with 4 eggs( Redinov et al. 2008)) and a pair of disturbing Common Buzzards (in the region of ‘Volyzhyn Forest’). The factual breeding of the latter on the adjacent areas of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve was proved only in 2008 (pers. comm. by Yury Moskalenko). We didn’t see Common Buzzard on breeding in this area before the above-mentioned date.
Vicinities of Ochakov City. The same as the previous years there bred 2 pairs of Long-legged Buzzard. At this, one pair settled in a Rooks’ colony but the rooks didn’t leave the place. The breeding of this pair was successful. A nest of another pair located in a forest plantation at the high-usage country road was abandoned.
Still common breeding species are Red-footed Falcons (one of the colonies had 40 pairs) and Kestrels.
Tyligulsky Liman. Gully systems of the liman supported 2-3 pairs of Long-legged Buzzard (we didn’t search for nests). In the previous years we saw this species in winter. In the gullies of the Tsarega River in May we recorded Black Kite, Goshawk, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Common Kestrel.
Other areas. Two territorial pairs of the Long-legged Buzzard revealed in June near Mykolaiv City in ‘Kapustyana Gully’. In the reserve ‘Mykhailivsky Steppe’ (a gully) we observed a Common Kestrel (nested on a powerline) and Common Buzzards.
The author expresses his gratitude to the Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre for the financial support of the expeditions. Photos used for illustration of this communication were made in expeditions of 2009 and also previous years.
Konstantin Redinov, Regional Landscape Park ‘Kinburnska Spit’
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Oleynik, D.S., Redinov, K.A. 2006. Breeding birds of prey of the Reserve ‘Ratsinskaya Dacha’. In: Zapovidna Sprava v Ukraini. Vol. 12, iss. 2, pp.42-44 [in Russian]
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