Mid-winter counts of 2010
In the period from 16 to 20 January 2010 within the work of the Dnieper Ornithologists Working Group there were carried out mid-winter counts of birds. They were focused on waterfowl, but at the same time the material on birds of prey was collected.
Weather during counts was quite cold. The temperature at night fell to -10-18oC, which was accompanied by strong wind. The depth of snow cover varied mostly within 15-20 cm.
The situation with the White-tailed Eagle corresponded to the weather conditions. Since the Dnieper froze in the second half of December, the vast majority of eagles migrate to southward regions. White-tailed Eagles, as usual in such circumstances, kept to ice-free areas downstream the Dnieper hydroelectric station and around the warm discharges, where waterfowl also concentrated. But even in these traditional wintering sites there were less White-tailed Eagles than in previous years. This fact is explained by quite frosty weather of January.
A total of 23 White-tailed Eagles were counted in the territory of the Dnieper from Kyiv to Kremenchuh in the main ice-free areas. They were distributed as follows:
– In Kyiv-Trypillia wintering area – 6 individuals;
– Downstream Kanivska hydroelectric station – 10;
– Downstream Kremenchuhska hydroelectric station – 7.
In addition, two adult eagles were observed away from the ice-free areas – in Chygyryn district of Cherkasy region. Perhaps it was a local pair which held the breeding site.
Along the way there were also counted other birds of prey, although these data are not exhaustive:
Common Buzzard – 23;
Rough-Legged Buzzard – 4;
Sparrowhawk – 3;
Goshawk – 1;
Hen Harrier – 2.
Also on the 16th of January in Cherkasy region there were recorded 9 single Common Buzzards, which were migrating to the south-west.
M. Gavrilyuk, V. Kostyushin, V. Grishchenko, A. Poluda, N. Borisenko, A.Ilyukha, E. Yablonovskaya-Grishchenko
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