Last weekend we got 43 completed RIA forms from more than 150 participants. Information about birds came from Moscow, Novorossiysk, Sochi, as well as Moscow, Saratov, Tver and Tula Regions, The Republic of Buryatia (Baikal Lake) and Russian Far East (Primorskiy Region). Professional ornithologists – staffs of academic institutions, universities, strict reserves and national parks, students, teachers, school children and local people participated in EuroBirdwatch-2017. Birders – people spent a lot of time watching birds have shown especial interest to the event.
Most completed RIA forms were received from district centre - Vyshniy Volochek town of Tver Region (North-West of European Russia), where the Action was coordinated by the district Station of Youth Naturalists. Since birdwatching was implemented in the town, “champions” on number of individuals became Rock Dove, Hooded Crow and Mallard. Such species like Great Tit, Waxwing, Magpie, Jackdaw and Rook were also recorded in large numbers. Some of birdwatchers observed flocks of geese flying over the town.
Based on information came from the Centre of Moscow, the most numerous species are the same Rock Dove, Hooded Crow and House Sparrow. This is interesting that 6 Robins, Treecreeper and a flock of Blackcaps were recorded just in the heart of Moscow – Zaryadie (area around the Kremlin).
Accordingly to information by National Park «Losinyi Ostrov» (NP «Elk Island») situated on the North-East of Moscow, Robins, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds were recorded in significant number: http://elkisland.ru/news/mezhdunarodnye_dni_nabljudenija_ptic/2017-09-30-1241.
In accordance with observations made in Dmitrov (North of Moscow Region) and Lyubertsy (East of Moscow Region) Districts, Black-headed Gull (Red Book of Moscow) and Herring Gull are leading. In Rybnoe small town of Dmitrov District, Starlings and Hooded Crows are the most numerous, and Hen Harrier (Red Book of Moscow Region), Common Sandpiper, Reed and Rustic Buntings are among the most interesting.
In the District centre Khvalynsk of Saratov Region that is situated on the banks of the great Russian river Volga (Middle Volga region), 22 members of school forest service «Forest Berendeys» took part in the count. They registered 300 birds, among those are Great Tits, Rock Doves and House Sparrows are dominating. Here is how 12-years old schoolchild Roman Ilkiv describes his observations made during the count: “Tits behave very interesting. They were gone all the summer, and now they increasingly come to my garden, exploring attic of the house, roof, busily jumping on branches of trees. They really liked a hollow in Apple tree, they looked at it. They behave very careful and do not let close. Tit is bright and beautiful bird, I love it!” In Khvalynsk District, besides the birds mentioned above observers also met Redstarts in a great number.
In Novorossiysk city of Krasnodar Region (Caucasus Black Sea Coast) the count was coordinated by the Palace of Children and Youth Art named after N.I. Sipyagin. Observations have been undertaken on the territory of «Sudzhuk Lagoon» Nature Monument, which is traditional stopover on Azov-Black Sea Flyway. Nowadays, the Nature Monument situated just in the city, is under strong anthropogenic pressing. It is therefore important to monitor migratory birds – the main heritage of this protected area. During the count, Caspian and Black-headed Gulls (350 birds), as well as the Coot (376 birds) became the most numerous species. Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk are the most interesting because of its quite rarity for this part of coastal zone. Generally, 24 species are registered; total number of birds is 872.
In Southern part of Caucasus Black Sea Coast – Sochi city – Birdwatch was coordinated by Natural Ornithological Park in Imeretinskaya Lowland. These days, 665 birds were recorded on-site. Mallard, Wheatear and House Sparrow met most often. Among the rare species are Purple Swamphen and Osprey included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Osprey was recorded first time within the Park territory! Observers also met 7 Tufted Ducks that is untypical for the end of September. Usually, these ducks appear late, only by mid-October.
В более южной части Черноморского побережья Кавказа – городе Сочи учеты координировались Природным орнитологическим парком в Имеретинской низменности. В эти дни на территории парка было зарегистрировано 665 особей птиц, из которых кряква, обыкновенная каменка, домовый воробей встречались чаще прочих. Из редких встреч – занесенные в Красную книгу Российской Федерации султанка и скопа. Последняя была встречена на территории парка впервые! Наблюдались также 7 особей хохлатой чернети, что не типично для конца сентября. Как правило эти птицы появляются позже, только к середине октября.
In the Republic of Buryatia (South-East Coast of Baikal Lake) ornithologists of the Baikal Bird Ringing Station of Baikalskiy State Reserve registered 1572 birds of 54 species during 2-days counting (full list is available by reference below). The most numerous birds were Hawfinch – 559 individuals, Redpoll – 390 individuals and Coal Tit – 125 individuals. The most interesting is Godlewski's Bunting (Emberiza godlewskii) included in IUCN Red List and Red Book of the Republic of Buryatiya, ringed just on 1st October: https://baikalringing.blogspot.ru/2017/10/bird-count-days-2017.html.
On the South of Russian Far East, in National Park “Leopard Land”, observations took place on Peschany Peninsula (Sand Peninsula) of Amur Gulf of the Sea of Japan. Autumn flyway is still in the beginning, and Egrets and Herons are feeding in a great number on the coastal shallow. Grey Heron is the most numerous among them (66 individuals). Ducks of different species are not inferior in numbers, as well as Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) – 88 individuals. The most interesting and rare species are Eagle owl, Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata), Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyana), Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes) – threatened species included in IUCN Red List, Red Books of the Russian Federation, Japan and South Korea. Total number of registered birds is 367 individuals. You can find information about the counting results on website of the «Leopard Land» National Park.
On 30th September – 1st October, Non-commercial Partnership for Birding Development «Birds and People» (NGO «Birds and People») coordinating RIA across Russia, carried out Bird Race «Flight of Crane» – traditional Autumn competitions on photo-birding, devoted to Eurobirdwatch-2017. It was organized in museum-strict reserve «Kulikovo Pole» (Tula Region, South of Central Russia) in partnership with the Museum staff. Main goal of the Bird Race – to take picture and identify maximum number of bird species. Number of individuals is usually not checking. 8 teams of birders (25 people) participated in the Bird Race; during 9 hours they have passed a route 150 km long and pictured 70 bird species all together.
On 1st October, birders took part in the counting and registered 3121 individuals of different species. Among the most interesting, there are Great White Egret, Pochard, Scaup, Ringed Plover, White-backed and Syrian Woodpecker. The most rare of recorded birds are White-tailed Eagle, Curlew and Great Grey Shrike included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. And, of course, directly above the Kulikovo field – place of historical battle of 1380 year between Golden Horde’s Khan Mamai and Russian Prince Dmitry Donskoy, flocks of cranes were flying to the South. Information on the event (in Russian) is available here: http://birder.ru/news.php?extend.379.
As a whole, we got from our respondents information about 9000 bird individuals registered in 45 check points. Of course, for such a large country as Russia, these data are not representative, however based on them we can draw certain conclusions. And the main conclusion is that in our country there are a huge number of people and environmental organizations ready to do a common job quickly, clearly and unanimously. Report in Russian is available here: http://birder.ru/news.php?extend.378.
