Breeding Conditions for Waders in Russian Tundras in 1994

Breeding conditions for waders in Russian tundras in 1994

Pavel S. Tomkovich & Elena A. Lebedeva

Tomkovitch,P.S. & Lebedova, E.A. 1996. Breedingconditions for waders in Russiantundras in 1994. Wader Study GroupBull. 79: 71-81. [Reprintedwith permissionfrom Information Materialsof the WorkingGroup on Waders 8: 25-40].

Late spring,and coolbut generallyfavourable weather for breedingwaders was reportedby correspondentsfor almostall of 55 areas of the Russianarctic from Kolato Chukotsky Peninsula.The predictionof a peak in lemmingnumbers in some regionsof Siberiawas confirmed.Some regionswere inhabitedby breedingArctic Foxes Alopex lagopus, Snowy Owl Nyctea scand/acaand skuas Stercorariusspp. at highdensities. Howeverthe declineof lemmingnumbers in many areas early in the season was the reason for the switchingof predatorsfrom lemmingsto birdclutches and chicks. This led in generalto a lower breeding successof wadersthan was expectedøIt is predictedthat large numbersof predatorsand low numbersof lemmingsin 1995 will not permitthe birdsto have even moderatebreeding success.

Pavel S. Tomkovich,Ornithological Department, Zoological Museum of MoscowUniversity, BolshayaNikitskaya Str. 6, Moscow 103009, Russia. (Foreword,conclusion and editing) E.A. Lebedova,Russian Bird ConservationUnion, Kibalchica 6, Building5, Off. 10, Moscow 107150, Russia. (Translation)

INTRODUCTION (Bulletin75: 27-34). Below we discusswhat actuallywas observed. The now annual reviews of breedingconditions for waders in Russian tundras have attracted the attention of A large part of the data for this year was collectedby the specialistsboth in the countriesof the CIS and more joint Russian/Swedishexpedition "Tundra Ecology 1994" widely. Indeed, discussionshave been held as to the which visited 17 areas of the Russian arctic. feasibilityof establishinga circumpolarnetwork for the collectionand analysisof such data. This informationis At each site fourgroups worked closely together. The importantnot only for understandingwader population sites located in the area from Kola Peninsula to the dynamics,but also in forecastingthe situationfor the next eastern Taimyr were surveyedtwice, with the remainder season on the basis of the previousyear. surveyed once. Valuable data on the abundance of rodentsand predatorswere collatedby A. Bublichenko, The increase of lemming numbers recorded in 1993 E. Isaksson and M. Tannefeldt. All the accounts based on indicatedthat peak numberswould occur in 1994 in at the materialsof "TundraEcology 1994" expedition were least severalregions of the arctic. This was predictedto preparedby E.G. Lappoand E.E. Syroechkovsky,Jr., and resultin reducedpredation on waders and thus high thus their names are given as authors. breeding success. That was the forecast made for 1994

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71 1• AYNOVY ISLES AND THE 4A, NORTH-WESTERN PART OF broodsremained large• Lemmingnumbers MURMAN COAST KANIN PENINSULA were high• Numberof GlaucousLarus hyperboreusand EasternHerring Larus heug/iniGulls were ten times lowerthan in Springstarted early with snow disappearing The firstsignificant warming happened 1993. in late April- early May, butsteady cool unusuallyearly (3 April),but spring in general weather with intense rain and snowfalls was coldand late. By 31 May partialsnow- V.G. Vinogradov occurredin the last thirdof May. This cover still remained at the coastal areas, weathercontinued through the wholeof June snowdisappeared by 2-4 June. Ice brokeup and the firsthalf of July. Thereforewader in the lower reaches of rivers on 5-7 June. breedingwas lateat the islands,and mortality On the lakesice had meltedby 10 June. A 5. NORTH-EASTERN COAST OF of youngbroods observed. Autumn migration similarpattern was observedin placor KANIN PENINSULA (FROMPADLEY of adultsand juvenilesoccurred later than tundrasapproximately one week later. In RIVER TO MIKULKIN POINT) usualand was noticeablyprolonged. The summary,phenological events were only5-7 abundanceof some speciessuch as Dunlin days later than usual. The weather in Springwas late, butwaders were already Ca/idrisa/pina and TurnstoneArenaria summerwas moderatewithout sharp breedingby 12 June. In June no signsof interpreswas a bit lower than usual,whilst temperaturedrops or hotdays, but ratherdry lemmingswere observed,and only one for others, such as Ruff Phi/omachus and windy. Lemmingsnumbers were animalwas caught in lateAugust. Root pugnaxand LittleStint Ca/idrisrninuta, it was moderatelyhigh and voleshad very high Voles Microtus oeconomus were numerous. muchlower than usual. Reportsfrom the numbers. ArcticFoxes (as reportedby local Long-tailedSkuas and Rough-legged Murmancoast indicate that lemmingsand people)were commonin winter,although Buzzardsbred in singlepairs, the latterhad other small rodents were also recorded in low lessso in summer. Rough-leggedBuzzards minimalclutch size. Territorialpairs were numbers. had averagenumbers at the placortundras recordedin PeregrineFalcon Falco and were absent at the coasts. I.P. Tatarinkova peregrinusand GyrfalconF. rusticollis,while SnowyOwls were observedonly on Numbersof Long-tailedStercorarius migration.Arctic Foxes probably did not Iongicaudusand ArcticS. parasiticusSkuas breedas onlyone emptyden was foundand 2. SEM' OSTROVOV ISLANDS AND were low,and largegulls were lessabundant no animals were recorded. Waders, MURMAN COAST than on average,with most not breeding. however,probably bred rathersuccessfully. Massbreeding was recordedin LittleStint. On 22-25 June coastal areas were flooded E.E SyroechkovskyJr. & E G. Lappo Springwas threeto fourweeks later than dudngextremely high fides, as a resultof usual,and springand summerwas cold. At whichmany wader nests were destroyed. Sem'Ostrovov an averagenumber of Some birdslaid replacement clutches later. 6. KOLGUEV ISLAND (SOUTHERN NorwegianLemming Lemmus norvegicus The successof survivingnests was average. was recorded. At the GavrilovsldyeIslands AND EASTERN COASTS, CENTRAl_ averagenumbers of voleswere observed, V.O. Avdanin & M. V. Glukhovsky PARTS IN THE PESCHANKA RIVER whilst on the mainland rodents were still BASIN) absent. Numbersof ArcticFoxes Alopex lagopuswere lowand Red Foxes Vulpes Weatherconditions, according to reportsof 4B. NORTH-WESTERN PART OF vulpeswere common. localpeople, were almostusual except that KANIN PENINSULA (TORNARIVER springwas aboutten days later. Lemmings Yu. V. Krasnov VALLEY AND COASTAL AREAS and volesare alwaysabsent on the island. It BETWEEN TORNA AND MESNA RIVERS) was reportedlocally that Snowy Owls bred occasionallyat the islandand Rough-legged 3. EASTERN COAST OF THE KOLA This season was a contrastdue to (1) late Buzzardswere numerousand fed mainlyon PENINSULA(BETWEEN THE PONOY spring,as snowmelted only in the firstdays WillowGrouse Lagopus lagopus and other birds. In 1994 neither owls, nor buzzards or AND KAOHKOVKARIVER MOUTHS) of June; (2) very low temperatures;(3) very smallamount of precipitation- even the old skuaswere recordedon breeding.However localpeople do not remembersuch a low the localnentsens people reportedthat they Springwas ratherlate. Althoughby 10 June watertable in lakesin previousyears; (4) foundseveral nests of Rough-legged approximately80% of the tundrawas free highfides on 23-25 Junewhich coincided Buzzardin the south-westpart of the island. fromsnow, many waders were stillonly laying withstrong north-westerly storm winds thus No occupiedArctic Fox dens were noted eggs. Some GoldenPlover P/uvia/is apdcaria floodingall the coastalareas on 25 June. By althoughone puppywas seen at the nestshad incompleteclutches and many June all the commonwaders except Red- settlement. Red Foxes bred on the island territorialbirds obviously did not yet have neckedPhalarope Pha/aropus Iobatus (which also. Boththese species fed on grouse, nests. Lemmingswere absent,few Common had arrivedby 2 June)were alreadypresent geese,other birds and theirclutches, and Voles Microtus arva/is and shrews Sorax on the breedingareas. Egg-layingoccurred also on items on the strandline. The latter spp. were caught. Skuas were not recordedø rathersynchronously from 1-15 June. After providesstaple food for these animalsin Rough-leggedBuzzards Buteo lagopus bred nestswere floodedon 25 June, severalpairs winter (ice appearsat the coastsonly for in low numbersand several nomadicSnowy of OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus, shorttime), which ensures stability of their Owls Nyctea scandiacawere observed. Dunlin and Uttle Stint laid new clutches. On populationduring this season. Numbersof ArcUcFoxes were also low:only thisdate onlyfresh clutches of Littleand one inhabitedden was foundlate in August. Temminck's Calidris temminck/7 Stints Breedingwaders were recordedin mid-June. Breedingsuccess of waderswas thoughtto remained.In generalflooding negatively At the south-eastern lowlands of the island, be ratherhigh. affectedbreeding success of all waders,and highDunlin breeding densities were E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo alsoof TerekSandpiper Xenus cinereus and recorded.Judging by indirectdata obtained RingedPlover Charadrius hiaticula, which in August,waders and geesewere breed on these coastalparts. However, successful. thosebird species which breed in tundras and dunes, as well as those non-coastal E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo wadersthat breed inland had highbreeding success.Hatching was synchronous,and

72 7, TIMAN COAST Of 9. BESYMYANNAYA BAY (THE coldbut dry and sunny. Lemmingnumbers MALOZEMELSKAYA TUNDRA SOUTHERN ISLAND OF NOVAYA were at a low point(not recorded at all). (BETWEEN KHODOVARIKHA AND ZEMLYA) Thus skuasand SnowyOwls did not breed TOBSEDA SETTLEMENTS) and were recordedonly on summer Springcame two weekslater than usualand movementsand migration.Numbers of Weather conditionsin mid-June were normal; was cold. Summer also turned to be rather Rough-leggedBuzzard were low. Single pairsstarted to breed,although spdngwas late, and Augustwas warmer coldwith rains and strongwinds. Letomings unsuccessfully. thanusual. Lemmingswere extremelyram were almostabsent (enly one animal and distributedsporadically; their populations- recordedduring the wholemonth). Arctic were probablybeginning to increase.Root Foxesand avianpredalors were scarce, Numbersof ArcticFoxes were ratherlarge= Voles were recorded in small numbers at howeverfour young birds Iledged singlepairs bred, families consisted of two lo watersheds 30 to 40 km from the coast. successfullyin the onlynest of Rough-legged four pups. Predationfrom Arctic Foxes was Rodent-feedingbirds did not have a Buzzard. Breedingwas suspectedin two high:30% of geeseclutches were lost,in succesfulseason (only one nest of Short- residentpairs of Long-tailedSkua and in one somewaders (Ringed Plover) nest losses tailedSkua was found),and were rare on pairof SnowyOwl. Flocksof non-breeding caused by predafionby ArcticFoxes were movements.Breeding Arctic Foxes were skuaswere absent. Late in Julyand in ea•j similar,while in other species(Uttle Stint, rare (twoinhabited dens were found),and August,Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Dunlin,Temminck's Stint) it was at least subsequentlyrare on movements. and RingedPlover Charaddus hia#cula were 50%. Weather conditions in summer were commonlyobserved with broods(at the same favourablefor chicks.The breedingsuccess E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo timetwo pairs of RingedPlover had onlyone of waderswas in generallower than usual, in chickeach), althoughUttle Stint was rare. somespecies it was probablyaverage. Thereforebreeding waders was genera•y V. V. Morozov 8. SOUTH-EASTERN PART OF successful. RUSSKY ZAVOROT PENINSULA E.A. Kuznetsov (NEAR THE KHABUlKALAKE) AND 12. YUGORSKY PENINSULA LOVETSKY ISLAND (KOROVlNSKAYA BAY NEAR THE PECHORA DELTA) 10. PUKHOVY BAY, SOUTH Springwas coldand prolonged.As there Weatherconditions in springwere ISLAND,NOVAYA ZEMLYA (72ø40'N had been muchwinter snow, it meltedslowly characterizedby ratherlow temperatures, 52o45'E) especiallyin the centreand south-western slowsnow-melt and littleprecipitation. Snow part of the peninsula.River fioods on 6-8 disappearedin the lowlandtundra in the last Accordingto localinformation there was little Junewere unusuallyhigh. In the northern third of June, and shallow lakes became ice- snowin winter. Springwas laterthan usual part,summer was rathercold with frequent free in mid-June.In generalspring was end extremelycold, probably as a fogs,although in the southand south-westit about10 days late and thisresulted in consequenceonly five wader species bred. was comparativelywarm end similarto other delayedwader display activity (the firstRuff Arrivalof wadersand thestart of breeding years. Numbersof lemmingswere at their lek was seen on 9 June and firstdisplays of was noticeablyprolonged. Density of greatestin April-May(judging by numerous CommonSnipe Gallinagogallinago on TumsloneArenaria interpres was large in recordsof winternests), i.e. beforethe arrival 13 June),as wellas in latebreeding (no contrastto all otherspecies. Clutchsizes in of birds. By Junelemming numbers wadernests were founduntil 18 June). The somenests of UttleStint and RingedPlover decreased,but were stillrather high in some abundanceof CommonSnipe. little Stints, were reducedto threeeggs. Summer tundraareas. Thisenabled large breeding Dunlins and Ruffs was lower than usual. For temperatureswere also rather low, however densitiesof Rough-leggedBuzzards. Short- the firsttime in springand in autumnKnots judgingby the good bodycondition of birds eared Owlsbred in thoseareas with high Calidris canutus were observed. therewere no nestfailures caused by letomingnumbers. Snowy Owls end weatherconditions. Lemming numbers were PomarineSkuas Stercorariuspomarinus, at theirlowest level (only three enimals however,did not start breeding. Arctic and Letomingswere almostabsent (only single Long-tailedSkuas S. parasiticus,S. animalsin humanbuildings), but RootVoles recorded).Arctic Foxes were scarceand did not breed. Iongicaudusbred, the firstin usualnumbers, were quite numerous. ArcticFoxes were the latter in small numbers. extremelyscarce, although they did breed. Long-tailedand ArcticSkuas were as Onlyone pairof Rough-leggedBuzzard and commonas usual,Snowy Owls were few on severalLong-tailed Skuas bred. Other Numbersof ArcticFoxes were nothigh, only movements, and some Short-eared Owls predatorswere almostabsent, therefore some animalsbred and theirproductivity was werealso observed as well. Rough-legged predationpressure on wader clutcheswas low. WeathercondilJons in generalwere Buzzardin thisarea is alwaysrare, Merlins nothigh (about 30% of clutcheswere favourablefor breeding waders, but the Falcocolumbadus, Peregrine Falcons and des•oyed)except for RingedPlover (in which predationrate by ArcticFoxes, residentarian GoshawksAccipiter gent#is bred in single all nestswere des•oyed). In summarythe predaters and nomad fiocksof skues was pairs.Autumn migration of waderswas season was favourablefor Tumstone, less quitehigh, so breedingsuccess of waders intense,in particularthat of Red-necked successfulthan usual in Little Stint, Dunlin can be estimatedas averageor even low. Phalaropesand Ruffs;Spotted Redshanks and PurpleSendpiper, and unfavourablefor Onlyin Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola was Tdngaerythropus and CurlewSandpipers RingedPlover. breedingsuccessful - almost all breeding pairsreared fiedged young. Caliddsferruginea migrated in larger V. V. Gavrilov numbersthen in the previousyear. V. V. Morozov Yu.M. Schadilov & D. Bouler 11. VAIGACH ISLAND 13. WESTERN AND EASTERN

ß SLOPES OF THE POLAR URALS Springwas cold end prolonged. Average temperatureswere below freezing for meny daysand therewere strong winds and Springwas a littlelate in comparisonwith snowfalls until 20 June. Summer was rather previousyears, end summerwas verydry

73 and warm• Judgingby observationsin July- Numbers of rodents were estimated as remainedat the same levelor decreasedonly Augustsmall rodents, especially lemmings, average,although in the secondhalf of slightly;the onlyexception was GoldenPlover were numerous. and in contrast to 1993, summermore voles appeared. Exceptfor whichwas recordedvery muchmore often. Rough-leggedBuzzards bred everywhere. Rough-leggedBuzzards, which bred in rather CurlewSandpipers were observedfor the Wader numbersseemed to.be ratherhigh, highnumbers (0.54 pairs/km2), predators first time in this area. however there were noticeable differences were few. Snowy Owls were not recorded V. G. Shtro betweenspecies, Differencesin breeding and one huntingShort-eared Owl was densitiesof GoldenPlover Pluv/al/$apricar/a sometimes observed. Pomarine Skuas did were recorded between western and eastern not breed,Arctic Stercorarius parasiticus and slopes. At the upperreaches of the Kara Long-tailedSkuas were few. ArcticFoxes 18. NORTH-EASTERN YAMAL Riverthese birdswere relativelyrare (about were not numerous•Predation was mainly ("YAIBARI"STATION: 71 ø04'N 72ø20'E) fourtimes rarer than in 1993), whilstat the causedby norabreedingskuas. Breeding upperreaches of the SchuchyaRiver, broods densitiesof mostwaders was average. Uttle and nestswith signs of successfulhatching Stints did not breed at all, and Ruffs were Springstarted as normalbut was interrupted were foundas oftenas the year before. few,whilst numbers ofCommon Snipe Were by strongstorm on 11-12 June. For waders Numbersof RingedPlover were average, largerthan usual. Breedingconditions for thiswas just before or at the startof breeding Wood SandpipersTringa glareola were waders were tavourable. (Dunlin)thus causing their departure to more observedeverywhere. Terek Sandpipers favourableareas. Onlysingle Grey Plovers Xenus cinereu$ were less common than in N.$o Alekseeva, Yu.A Tul'kin & E.A. Polents remained.After thiscold period, ice break-up on the riversoccurred by 24 June,and snow 1993:only occasional broods were recorded at the Kara River. Whimbrel Numen/u$ had mainlydisappeared (80% of snow-free area)by 25 June. Thereforespnng was phaeopu$,which were commonat the 16. WEST OF THE MIDDLE YAMAL consideredto be very late. Howeverwaders SchuchyaRiver in previousyears, were (COAST FROM MORDYYAKHA RIVER - re-startednesting. Breedingpopulations rather rare this summer, and Bar-tailed MARE-SALEPOLAR STATION) were closeto normal,but Curlew Sandpipers Godwit Llmosalapponica, which was were completelyabsent, LittleStints were previouslycommon, was not recordedat all. Springwas obviouslylate: large snow- unusuallyfew, and the numberof Grey P I. Luzan coveredparts remained till the end of June, Ploverwas the lowestobserved in six years. and the weatherwas windywith low temperaturesand precipitation.By 20 June Lemmingnumbers in springwere average; waderswere onlystarting of breed,thus only Arctic Foxes were few but did breed. 14. LOWER OB' RIVER AREA NEAR s•ngleclutches were found. At the same time Breedingsku;• numbers were high. Snowy SALEKHARD largenumbers of lemm•ngsand RootVoles Owls and Rough-leggedBuzzards also were recorded, and Northern Voles startedbreeding but theirnesting density was May was coldwith snowfalls,however ice Clethrionomysglareolus were alsofound. In notvery large. break up on the Ob' occurredat the same the lastthird of Augustlemming numbers time as usual (1 June). On the same day were much lower, but vole numbers were less so. Late in springthere was partialmortality of masswader migration commenced and lemmings.Other animals were buriedin lastedat low intensityuntil 7-8 June. The densand so were not availablefor predators. middle of June was cold with northern and BreedingRough-legged Buzzards were In the middle of summer nomad Arctic Foxes north-eastern winds. Late summer was in numerous(up to 1.5nests/km2). Peregrine appearedwhich together with skuas and generalmoderately dry and warm,with few was commonat the Nebeyakhariver. otherpredators destroyed many nests just coldspells. Rodentnumbers increased Migratingskuas were abundantin June,but beforehatching. As a resultonly early slightly. muchless so in August. ArcticFoxes nestingspecies bred successfully.Thus numberswere estimated as averageto large: 77% of 70 Dunlin nests were successful, Singlepairs of Long-tailedSkuas and Hen threeout of fivedens were occupiedby whileonly 27% of 11 Grey Plovernests HarriersCircus cyaneus bred. In tundra, breedingfamilies. The breedingsuccess of remainedundamaged. Undoubtedly there Whimbreland Bar-tailedGodwit bred in high waderswas perceivedto be nothigh due to were great lossesof chicksof all species. numbers.Wood Sandpiper and Golden continuouspredation as a consequenceof Localreports stated that breeding conditions Plover were common, Ruff and Red-necked the lownumbers of lemmings. for birdsdiffered rather noticeably at the northern Yamal due to the variable Phalaropewere not numerous,and single E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo pairsof Greenshankand RingedPlover were distribution of rodents. recorded.In general,abundance of waders wasestimated to be belowaverage. Judging V.K. Ryabitsev, M. Gromadztd& T. Mokva by observationsof Whimbrels,Bar-tailed 17o NORTH-WESTERN YAMAL, Godwits and Reeves which alarmed late in BOVAN EN KOVO $ ETTLEM ENT Julyin thoseareas where spring AREA 19,, BELYI iSLAND AND THE observationsare usuallymade, their breeding NORTHERN COAST OF YAMAL was successful. Springwas relabvelylate. Numbersof S.P. Paskhalny rodentswere aboveaverage. ArcticFoxes Weather conditions in the first half of bred successfully.There were no owls summerwere unfavourable:by earlyJuly recorded.Compared to 1993 a slight winterconditions were foundat BelyiIsland, increasewas recordedin Rough-legged 15. EAST OF MIDDLE YAMAL and up to 70% of the area was stillcovered Buzzard, whose clutches contained an with snow. Conditions at the northern Yamal ("HANOVEY"STATION: 68ø40øN) averageof fiveeggs. Numbersof skuasand were onlyslightly better. In the latterthird of HerringGulls remained similar to 1993. Augustthe weatherremained rather cold. Springwas late. On 11-12June when many Numbersof WillowPtarmigan slightly Thistime single lemmings were observed at birdshad alreadystarted to breed,the increased,while those of waterfowlslightly the northernYamal, but not found at all on weatheragain became cold with strong winds decreased. Temminck's Stints, Red-necked BelyiIsland. Thiswas probablydue to mid- and snowfalls. However, summer was warm Phalaropes,Dunlins and GoldenPlovers summerdecreases in rodents.Local people withoutany sharpchanges of temperature were recorded three to seven times less often observedlemmings regularly at thi.•island in and withoutprolonged rains. than in 1993. Otherwader specieseither

74 1993. At the Yamal, several nomad Snowy in interstreamareas and polygonaltundra 24, STERLEGOVPOINT (75ø25'N Owls, as well as one fledgedSnowy Owl and bogs, Althoughlemmmgs bred, their 89ø08'E) one fledgedPomafine Skua were recorded; numbersin Augustremained constant due to nestsof Rough-leggedBuzzard were found predationby largeflocks of Pomarineand On the coastal arctic tundra winter snow as well. Abundance of Arctic Fox was Long-tailedSkuas which appeared late in melted at least one week later than usual. average:several single animals were Julyfollowing the arrivingherds of Beluga Averagedally temperatures were above observed, and at the coast of Yamal one Delphinapterusleucas• freezingafter 18 Junewhich caused the inhabitedden was found, Breedingsuccess ß snow to melt rapidly(50% cover on 21 June), of waderswas probablyaverage; almost SnowyOwls, Rough-leggedBuzzards and and the weather was favourable for birds until fledgedbroods of Grey Ploverand LittleStint especiallyPomarine Skuas bred numerously 4 July. Laterin Julyand August,however, it were found. At the northern Yamal numerous and successfully.Arctic Foxes were flocks ot Bar-tailed Godwits were observed. turnedcold and wet withfogs, drizzle and observedregularly, and one den was found. much rain. In the periodwhen birdshad E.E. SyroechkovskyJro & E.G. Lappo Wadersbred at relativelylow densities (20 chicks,the temperaturerarely exceeded 5øC. pairs/kin2),but their success was high Numbersof lemmingswere low, thusSnowy (chickshatched in 8!% of seven wader Owls and Arctic Foxes did not breed, and I-•w species,n = ! 31) except CurlewSandpiper nestsof Pomarineor Long-tailedSkuas were 20 ISLANDS OF THE ARCTIC in which63% of clutchesfailed (n = 24). found. iNSTITUTE Successfulbreeding was also recordedin Brent Geese. At the same time abundance Afterthe secondweek of Julymost wader These islandshave the appearanceof sandy of nomadskuas late in Julyand in early nestsobserved were predatedby Arctic arcticdesert. No trace of letomingswere Augustsuggests that totalbreeding success Foxes,and predationof nestsand chicksby observed there on 23 June. The weather of waderswas no morethan average. skuaswas also recorded. In spite of the cold was cold, and snow covered more than half A.V. Rybkin, K. GOnter,L Hertzlet, weatherand predatorpressure, chicks in of the surface as is normal for these areas. L• V. Korshikov, $. V. Kochanov, some broodsof Knots,Turnstones and Grey Nomadskuas and gullswere commonbut Yu.R• Kochanova, M. V• Chertkov & Ploversfledged successfully. At the same were restricted to those areas with broken M.N. Nurov time therewere no resightingsof colour- ice. ArcticFoxes were not recordedalthough marked broods of Little Stints and Curlew they are the commonvisitors here in some Sandpipers,an indicationof the increased years. GlaucousGulls Larus hyperboreus level of theirmortality. and Brent Geese Branta bernicla were 23. PYASINA DELTA 777.Piersma, G. Shekkerman,P. de Goeij J. commonbreeders, as well as probably Jukema, J. van der Kam & L Thulp PurpleSandpipers Calidris maritima. In the PyasinaDelta spring was very late. On 19 June more than 90% of tundra was still E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo undersnow, but then a sharprise in temperaturemelted the snow withina week. 25. NORTHERN TAIMYR (ZARYA Ice broke-upon 2-3 Julyand the warm PENINSULA, LOWER TOLEVAYA RIVER 21. SURROUNDINGS OF DIKSON weatherlasted until 12 July. This was AND ISLANDS PRAVDA AND NANSEN) IN NORTH-WESTERN TAIMYR followedby a coldpedod (with temperatures mostlybetween 0-4øC and withstrong winds Weatherconditions in the breedingseason butwithout precipitation) which lasted until Weatherat leastin the secondhalf of July was severe, but despitethis waders did bred. mid-AugustøAverage capture rate of Followinga peak in letomingnumbers in July, was warmwith little rainfall or fogø Large Siberian Lemmus sibiricus and Collared a declineoccurred in mid-AugustOwls did numbersof lemmingsensured successful Dicrostonyxtorquatus Lemmings was 6.0 breedingof avianpredators such as Snowy not breedand onlysingle birds were and 1.7 ind.per 100 trap-days(the largestin recorded. Pomadne Skua was common both Owls, Rough-leggedBuzzards, Long-tailed, five years). Even distributionof animals Arctic and Pomarine Skuas. Arctic Foxes breedingand on migration;other species of (contraryto the peak periodin 1991) ensured were not recorded.Judging by regular skuas were also rather common. Numbers theirsuccessful reproduction. Herring Gulls, of ArcticFoxes were low, and probablydid recordsof broods,wader breedingwas Rough-leggedBuzzards and Pomarine successful. Remains of an adult Turnstone not breed(few denswere foundand these Skuasbred successfullyas well as Snowy were not permanentlyinhabited). were foundnear one of the six SnowyOwl Owls (five broodswere foundwithin a 5 km nests. radius). ArcticFox numberswere thoughtto Wadershad startedto breed by earlyJuly, A.E. Volkov be averageand similarto 1993. They occupiedabout half the densand families and in the coastalparts where snow melted had 5-10 pups;therefore large numbers of late,egg-laying was delayed by approximately foxes can be expectedin 1995. one week. Judgingby observationsin mid- 22. MEDUZA BAY AREA (2o KM Augustthe breedingseason was not SOUTH OF DIKSON) unsuccessfulas broodsof Grey Plover, Birds started to breed late, but in most CurlewSandpiper, Little Stint and Knotwere speciesreproduction was successful. recorded. In the same periodsmall flocksof Snowmelted fast at the beginningof June Breedingin Uttle Stint,Cudew Sandpiper and Bar-tailed Godwits were observed in buta droptemperature later delayed melting Grey Ploversimilar to 1993. There were MiddendorfBay. as well as wadermigration and breeding probablyfewer PacificGolden Plovers (averagehatching date was 20 July). Tundra Pluvialis fulva and Dotterels. E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. &E.G. Lappo was 50% snow-free on 21 June. the same day that riverice broke up. Summerwas dry L Yu. Popov and warm (withseveral periodswhen temperatureas highas 20-25øC). Dotterels, 26. WESTERN COAST OF commonlybreeding in 1993, were absent. CHELUSKIN PENINSULA (FROMMOD Bothletoming species had peak numbers: BAY TO THE UPPER TESSEMA RIVER) their abundance in June was 25 to 28 ind. per 100 trap-daysin interstreamareas, in Weatherconditions in the breedingseason Julyit averagedin 15 ind. per 100 trap-days were consideredsevere as usual,although

75 the weather in late June was sunnyand 29. LOWER REACHES OF Thirteenwader specieswhich were found warm. DuringJune, clutches of Grey Plover, MUKSUNIKHA AND MUNGUI breeding.Ringed Plover clutches were Dotterel, Turnstone and Little Stint were RIVERS (LOWERYENISSEY) rampledby ReindeerRangifer tarandus. incubating.Collared Lemmings were PacificGolden Plover,Grey Plover, recorded in low numbers in the Tessema Turnstone,Spotted Redshank and Bar-tailed riverbasin. Rodent-feedingbirds almost did Therewas unusuallywarm weather in the Godwitdid not breedafter 14 Julydue to not breed. In Augusta youngSnowy Owl firsthalf of summerwith temperature chickmortality. Broods of Grey Phalarope was found dead at the Cheluskin Point. reaching30øCo Numbers of lemmingswere Phalaropusfulicadus and Red-necked HerringGulls and GlaucousGulls bred in estimatedas closeto average,and judging by Phalaropewere numerous,the former being some canyonsand all three speciesof skuas abundanceof theirwinter nests(up to 30 on most numerous. Little Stint, Dunlin, Curlew were observedon migration.In the southern 10 ha, cf average10 on 10 ha) therehad Sandpiperand PectoralSandpiper Calidds partof the survey area (30 km 2) the only been even largernumbers earlier. As they melanotosfledged young. inhabitedden of ArcticFox was found;single had overwinteredsuccessfully, numbers nomadic animals were also recorded. Wader declinedgradually. Root Vole abundance A. Yu. Voronin & M.N. Koroleva breedingsuccess was probablybetter than was alsoaverage, while that of NorthernRed- average:broods of PurpleSandpipers were backedVole was lessthan average. Short- quitecommon in Augustat CheluskinPoint. eared Owls were numerous,Short-tailed and Long-tailedSkuas stayed in the area and 32. SOUTH-EAST OF TAIMYR E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. & E.G. Lappo oftenhunted wader chicks. Breeding NEAR NOVORYBNOYE successof waderswas probablybetter than SETTLEMENT(72ø51'N 106ø02'E) average. Nestsand broodsof RingedPlover, Wood Sandpiper,Temminck's Stint and Waderswhich had arrivedon the breeding 27. NORTH-EASTERN TAIMYR Dunlin were found. (BASINS OF TOPOGRAPHS, RADISTS groundshad to moveaway between13-18 AND NEIZVESTNAYA RIVERS, V. V. Yakimenko Junedue to strongwinds and snowfallwhich SURROUNDINGS OF ANDREI ARCTIC resultedin completesnow cover. First STATION) clutches(in Dunlin)appeared unusually late (24-25 June). Laterthe seasonwas dry and 30ø SURROUNDINGS OF warm, with cooler weather after the end of Weatherconditions during the breeding VOLOCHANKA SETTLEMENT July. Intenseegg-laying happened seasonwere generallyfavourable, although it (FOREST-TUNDRA OF THE CENTRAL synchronouslyin all wader species. was coolerthan usual. Lemmingnumbers in TAIMYR) lateJune in the Byrrangafoothills were average,on the coastthey were muchIower• SiberianLemmings were regularlyobserved A decline in numbers was recorded in Lemmingnumbers were notlarge. Only one from22 June- 9 July(c. 2-3 timesper August. Singlenomad Snowy Owls were pairof Rough-leggedBuzzard bred, and observer/day),but laterthey became observed,and severalPomadne and Long- Short-earedOwls were notnumerous. Long- inconspicuous.As a resultof this predation tailed Skua nests were found. Numbers of tailedSkuas fed on lemmingsand wader by ArcticFoxes on waderclutches (which did Arctic Foxes were low: tracks of few nomadic chicks. Breedingsuccess of waderswas not occurearlier in the summer)intensified foxesand onlyone inhabitedden was found. probablyhigh. later. Arctic Foxes, owls and Pomarine Skuasdid not breed,and onlysmall numbers Yu.P. Kozhevnikov of Long-tailedSkuas and waterfowlbred Breedingsuccess of waderswas presumably probablybecause of the late spring. From no higherthan average and very few broods 14% to 15% of ne.•tssurvived until hatching were observedbetween 10-15 August. 31, THE CENTRE OF TAIMYR in numerouswader species (Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiperand LittleStint). E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. &E.G. Lappo PENINSULA, AREA OF SARYTATURKULAKE (73ø40'N MoYu. Soloviev, M. Weston, A.A. Gavrilov, 96ø45'E) V.V. Golovnyuk,T. V. Sviridova, 28. NORTHERN EDGE OF FOREST- S. Grundetjern& T. Larsen TUNDRA IN THE LOWER Summerwas cold,with an average BOLSHAYAKHETA RIVER (AREAOF temperatureof 6-7øCin Julyand 2øC in TUKHARTSE'I-FLEMENT) August. The onlywarm period7-10 July 33. WESTERN COAST OF OLENEK whenair temperaturereached 17-20øC. The BAY (FROMTERPYAI-TUMUS Weatherconditions were favourable except lastice meltedon smalllakes by 1-5 August, PENINSULA SOUTHWARDS UP TO and on SarytaturkuLake by 10 August. fora periodof prolongedcold in spring. PRONCHISCHEV RIDGE FOOTHILLS) Numbersof lemmingsand voles were not Snowfalloccurred 13-14 August. Both lemmingspecies had peaknumbers: on large. Rough-leggedBuzzards were rare (2 Weatherconditions in eady Julywere quite pairsin 50 km2),but bred successfully. average4-13 individualswere caught per 100 trap-daysin differenthabitats in early July. favourablefor birdsbut lemmings were not Long-tailedSkuas were notnumerous and recorded. Arctic Foxes did not breed but still fed mostlyon rodents. Owlswere not Althoughthey bredin summer,the total lemmingnumbers in Augustdecreased to predatedbirds nests. The employeesof recorded.The followingwaders bred quite 0.8-5 ind./100 trap-days. ArcticFoxes Terpyai-Tumusarctic station recorded that in successfully:Ringed Plover, Wood successfullybred: 20 out of 37 checkeddens winter Arctic Foxes even fed on their allies Sandpiper,Terek Sandpiper, Temminck's were inhabited,with up to 8 pupsin familis. whichhad beencaught in traps. One Wolf Stint, Bar-tailedGodwit, Whimbrel, Pintail Canislupis den was found. Of rodent- SnipeGallinago stenura, Common Snipe and BreedingRough-legged Buzzards were common(broods of 3-5), as were Snowy feedingbirds, only Rough-legged Buzzard Great Snipe G. media. Owls(1-5 per brood). BreedingLong-tailed bred (one nest found in the southof the Yu.P. Kozhevnikov Skuas were numerous. One Pomarine Skua surveyarea); breeding was observedalso in chickwas found. Herdngand Glaucous Herringand GlaucousGulls. Pomarineand Gullsstayed near nests,but neitherclutches ArcticSkuas moved in smallflocks. Long- nor chicks were found. tailedSkuas formed large flocks together with tems and Sabine's Gulls Xema sabini.

76 In earlyJuly only a few nestsof waderswere whileSnowy Owls were not recordedat all. distinctrace of SiberianLemming which ruined,while nests of gullsand diverswere By late June PomadneSkuas left the area, occupiesthe ecologicalniches of both continuouslypredated "in front of oureyes". ArcticSkuas were rare but probablybred. In Siberianand CollaredLemmings elsewhere. It is supposedthat although hatching earlyJuly flocks of Long-tailedSkuas moved SnowyOwls bred at densi•es up to successwas large,chick mortality later was northwardssearching for food on the tundra. 5 nests/km2. Territorial pairs of breeding relativelylarge as well. Datesof waderbreeding were similarto PomarineSkuas were recorded,and groups usual; fresh and incubated clutches were of Long-tailedSkuas were observedon E.G. Lappc & E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. foundfrom 24 June-,5 July. migration.Arctic Foxes bred with at high density,inhabited dens situated1.5-2 km Yu. Yu. Blokhin fromeach other. Breedingsuccess of 34A. THE LENA DELTA waderswas presumablyhigh. E.G. Lappc & E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. Bewteen 7-12 June the snow melted on the 35. TIKSl BAY northernisles as usual. Ice broke-upon the main river channel on 11 June, and on the From20 Juneto 10 Julythe weatherwas 39. WESTERN AND SOUTHERN lowerparts of the tributarieson 19-21 June. faycurablefor breedingwaders with After cold weather returned on 14-15 June temperaturereaching 12-20øC. Rodents had COASTS OF KOTEL'NY ISLAND, CurlewSandpipers and PectoralSandpipers low numbers. Pomarine Skuas, which were AND THE BALYKTAKH RIVER BASIN abandoned their clutches and did not breed commonin June,had alreadydisappeared by (NOVOSIBIRSKIYE ISLES) again. An unexpectedabsence of lemmings July. Long-tailedSkuas were observedon resultedin highpredation pressure from large passage. Singlepairs ot ArcticSkuas bred. Weatherconditions were generallysimilar to gullsand skuason clutchesot wadersand On 23 June clutchesof Dottereland Ringed thoseat FaddeyevskyIsland (38), but the waterfowl. Numbers of Arctic Foxes were Ploverwere well incubated. By 8-10 July distributionof lemmingswas noticeablyless verylow and SnowyOwls and Pomarine chicksot CommonSnipe had hatched,and even. Thus at the western coast their Skuasdid not breed. Broodsof Rough- judgingby theirbehaviour, so hadthose of numbersby earlyAugust were low,in the leggedBuzzards consisted of 1-2 chicks. other waders. southernparts average, and in the Balyktakh ArcticSkuas and largegulls had average Yu. Yu. Blokhin basinslightly higher than average. Prcbab'y size clutches.Grey Phalaropeswere few. in someareas peak numbershad already Breedingsuccess ot Grey Ploversand passed. SnowyOwls were recordedon Dunlinswas low. Only Li•e Stintsand migration,the largestnumbers being in Temminck'sStints bred successfully. 36. SHIROKOSTAN PENINSULA south-westernand southernparts of the island. Their nests and broods were D. V. Solovieva (NORTH-EAST FROM THE YANA DELTA) recordedas well. Althoughterritorial pairs The weatherin Julywas quitefavourable. and groupsof pomarineSkuas were Lemmingnumbers were highto beginwith common,they probably did not breed. Arctic 34Bo THE LENA DELTA then declined.Snowy Owls bredat high Foxeswere not numerous;they were densities,broods of 6-8 well-grownchicks observedmostly in the southernpart of the Datesof springphenology were similarto the were numerous.Breeding Rough-legged islandwhere they probably bred in low long-termaverage. Waterlevels in the river Buzzards were less successful,with the numbers.Breeding success of waderswas remainedhigh and withoutsharp fluctuations majorityot theirnests were failingfor obviouslynot uniformin differentparts of the afterthe springfloods almost until the end ot unknown reasons. Skuas had low numbers. island. Thus in the area of Kieng-Urasy July. The weatherin June and Julywas ArcticFoxes bred successfully having 8-10 settlementon the westcoast, only single ratherdry and warm. As letomingsagain had pupsin each family. Breedingwaders broodsof RingedPlover were recorded,while further south broods of other waders were low numbersArctic Foxes and skuas not only seemed successtuh broods of Eastern common. did not breedbut were even extremelyrare. GoldenPlover, Grey Plover,phalaropes and SnowyOwls were not recordedat allo Nests RingedPlover were common. E.G. Lappc & E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. ot Peregrinesand Rough-leggedBuzzards each containednot morethan toureggs or E.G. Lappc & E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. chicks. In general,the seasonwas faycurablefor waders. Grey Plover,Grey 40. COASTAL TUNDRAS NORTH Phalarope,Turnstone, Ruff, Li•e Stint and 37. BELKOVSKY ISLAND OF THE INDIGIRKA DELTA (FROM Dunlin were numerous or common. Nests or BOGDASHKINA RIVER MOUTH- broodsot PacificGolden Plover, Ringed SOUTHERN COAST OF GUSINAYA Numbersof letomingswere low and numbers Plover,Red-necked Phalarope, Temminck's GULF) Stintand PectoralSandpiper were also ot breedingwaders rather large. MostArctic found. Foxesand arian predatorsconcentrated near seabird colonies. In such conditions Weatherconditions in mid-Julywere quite V.I. Pozdniakov breedingof waderswas rathersuccessful. favourable.Lemmings were distributed unevenly,but in generaltheir numbers were E.G. Lappc& E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. averagealthough increasing. In the northof the area potentialpredators were more 34C. TYPICAL TUNDRA IN THE abundant than in the south. To the north of SOUTH OF THE LENA DELTA 38. FADDEYEVSKY ISLAND MogotoyevskyLake Snowy Owls bred in largenumbers, however they were notalways (NOVOSIBIRSKIYEISLANDS), THE successful(in severalnests dead owlets The weather remained warm after 20 June ULAKHAN-YURYAKH AND KHASTYR were found,and some nestswere predated, and in earlyJuly, with temperatures ranging RIVER BASINS from5-15øC. Therewas no precipitationand probablyby ArcticFoxes). In spite of the windswere moderateor strongfrom the north largenumbers of lemmings,owls still The weatherbetween 10-15 July was and east. Lemmingswere absent. Arctic predatedbirds heavily. At owl perches, Foxes were few and no dens were inhabited. favourablefor breedingbirds. Lemming remnantsof EastamGolden Plover, fledged numberswere large,and no declineswere Rough-leggedBuzzards bred sporadically, phalaropeand longspuryoung were found. recorded.The islandsare inhabitedby a Numberof ArcticFoxes were largeand

77 several dens were found. Least Weasels were recordedfrom 17 June (Temminck's anynegative effect on breedingwaders. The Mustelanivalis were numerous.Rough- Stint),with hatching observed from 10 July. majorityof wadersarrived early (23-27 May) leggedBuzzards bred only in thenorth- Numbersof commonwader species and simultaneously.In the beginningof June westernpart of the IndigirkaDelta. Skuas (Temminck'sStint, Red-necked Phalarope) nestsof Terek Sandpipersand Ringed almostdid not breed, only few territorial Pa. irs were lowerthan in 1993. Sharp-tailed Plovers on the islands of OreoIon were of Pomadne Skua were recorded, and one SandpiperCa/idds acurninata, Curlew destroyedby floods,and theystarted second nestof Long-tailedSkua was found. Judging Sandpiper,Dunlin, Little Stint and Spotted clutchesonly after 17 June. Wood bythe abundance of wadernests and broods Redshank were rare as also in 1993. Bar- SandpipersTringa glareola and Uttle located,predation pressure during incubation tailed Godwits, however, were more common. Curlews Nurneniusrninutus already had wasnot high, however later the situation In Augustthere were noticeably few young completeclutches by 15 June. In summer couldhave changed. birds,and wadersdeparted early. comparativelylarge numbers (in relation to, previousyears) of CommonSandpiper Act/tis $.l. Mochalov E.G. Lappc& E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. hypoleucoswere recorded.In montaine tundrascomplete clutches of Dotterelsand Great KnotsCalidris tenuirost?is were found 41o THE INDIGIRKA DELTA 44. POKHODSKAYA YEDOMA IN in mid-June. Most waders bred successfully. THE KOLYMA DELTA AND THE $.l. Mochalov Springwas prolonged with frequent periods MEDVEZHKA RIVER BASIN of cold and snowfall and thus snow melted (KEINGUVEEM) late. Coastalparts of the deltaand adjacent 47. MONTANE TUNDRAS OF tundraonly became free from snow in the Weather conditions in summer were WESTERN CHUKOTKA (BILIBINO second half of June. The end of June and consideredby localpeople slightiy worse Julywere characterised by coldand winds. than usual;however there were no serious AND NW ANADYR' DISTRICTS) AND ADJACENT FOREST-TUNDRA AND weather fluctuations that could have affected TAIGA Lemmingswere rather common in spdng,but breedingbirds. By 18-20July, letomings had afterhigh floods on 14-17June their averagenumbers, and Mouse-Hares numberssharply decreased. In July, Ochotonahyperborea were numerousin the Snowcover in earlyspring was greatertha• numerousArctic Foxes mostly searched for rocks,as were AmericanSousIlks Citeflus averagebut the phenologyof snowmelt was clutchesof Brent Geese and eiders. Snowy parryiand Hares(especially near human as usual. Summerwas warm, dry,with many Owls were not numerous. Mass ardval and settlements).One Narrow-skulledVole uncloudydays and withoutsignificant breedingof wadersoccurred one week later Microtusgregalis was caught. weatherchanges. Only late in Julydidi short thanusual. OnlyGrey Phalaropes Occurred coldsnaps occur. Numbersof mostspecies had not yet peaked. There were large in largenumbers and Ruffswere rare. Nests SnowyOwls and PomarineSkuas did not numbersof PtarmigansLagopus rnutus. of Temminck'sStint, LitlieStint, Grey Plover, breed;several nests of Rough-legged CurlewSandpiper, Dunfin, Pectoral Buzzard,Peregrine and Short-eared Owl Raptorsand Long-tailedSkuas were more numerousthan in 1993. However,negative Sandpiperand Turnstone were found were found,the latterbeing common. Small effects from both of arian and terrestrial regularly. flocksof Long-tailedSkuas were recorded, but Arctic Foxes were not recorded at all. predators(Common Weasel Muste/a A. G. Degtyarev Waders bred successfully:numerous broods erminea,Red Fox Vulpesvu/pes, Sable MaRes zibel/ina and Brown Bear Ursus of Eastern Golden Plover, Red-necked Phalaropes,Pectoral Sandpipers and Bar- arctos)were low. Wildand domestic 42, COASTAL TUNDRAS OF tailed Godwits were recorded. Reindeerin areas where they concentrated LOWER KOLYMA (AT THE betweenthe upper Anadyr' and Anyui Rivers CHUKOCHYA AND KUROPATOCHYA E.G. Lappc& E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. sometimestrampled birds nests and ate both eggsand chicks.Numbers and breeding RIVERS) successof mostwader species were above or closeto average. The mostsuccessful 45. AYON ISLAND Springwas lateand summerwas very cold. breederswere in Long-tailedSkua, Great Lemmingnumbers were low a•d beginningto Knot,Grey-tailed Tarder Heterosce/us increase.Snowy Owls did not breed,but in Springwas late,but weather conditions were brevipes,Ruff, Terek Sandpiperand the KolymaDelta many nests of Peregrines in generalfavourable. Lemming numbers CommonSandpiper. were found. Arctic Foxes bred and were were mostprobably very low. Owlsand numerouseverywhere. Judging by skuasdid not breed. Onlyone nestof A.I. Artyukhov& $. V. Zagoskin observationsin the secondhalf of July the Rough-leggedBuzzard was found.Arctic breedingsuccess of all waderspecies except Foxeswere notrecorded, although their Little Stint was low. trackswere seen and manypredated nests of 48. MONTANE TUNDRAS OF A. V. Andreev & A.B. Sokolov HerringGulls and Eiderswere found. SCHUCHY MOUNTAIN RIDGE Probablythe samefate occurred to waders. Number of recorded wader broods were low, (UPPER ANADYR' RIVER AREA) and the seasonwas probablynot very 43. COASTAL TUNDRAS OF favourablefor breedingbirds. Largeamounts of wintersnow delayed the LOWER KOLYMA AREA springmelt as wellas givinghigh river floods. E.G. Lappc& E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. At somemountain ridges where snow-free patchesappeared rather early large breeding Mostof Julywas muchcooler than in the densities of Great Knot were observed. June previousyear (from-2øC - +10øC)with 46. LOWER OMOLON RIVER was warmand sunny,July rathercold with strongwinds. Numbersof lemmingswere prolongedrain, thunder-storms, and low,and of SnowyOwls extremelyIowo (SPARSELARCH WOODLANDS UP TO 100 KM FROM RIVER MOUTH) sometimeswith fog. Voles,Northern Mouse- ArcticFoxes numbers were average. hares and AmedcanSouslib had large, Peregrineswere morecommon than usual, althoughnot maximum, numbers. Predation theyfed on Temminck'sStints and Grey Weatherconditions hardly differed from by Long-tailedSkua, Snowy Owl, Raven Phalaropes.Complete dutches of waders thosein theprevious year anddid not have Corvuscora)(, Rough-legged Buzzard,

78 Peregrine,Common Weasel, Sable or Brown Western SandpiperCalidris maud were L V. Dorogoi Bear was low. Great Knotchicks developed observed. Rock SandpiperC. ptfiocnemis moreslowly than •n 1993. Breedingsuccess was also rather common. of montane-tundrawaders (Great Knot, EasternGolden Ploverand SolitarySnipe L V. Dorogoi 55Bo VRANGEL ISLAND (GUSINAYA, Ga/linagosolitaria) was slightlyabove MAMONTOVAYA AND NEOZHIDANNAYA average,while many of the wadersbreeding RIVER BASINS) in the Anadyr'flood-plain (Terek Sandpiper, 52. KOLYUCHIN'ISLAND CommonSandpiper, Temminck's Stint and . Weatherin the latterthird of Julywas quit• RingedPlover) suffered from the highfloods: favourable.Lernmings reached peak On 28 June holes of Root Voles were found numbersof Terek Sandpiperbroods were numbers.Thirty-two nests and broodsof lowerthan in 1993, and almostall Ringed at the abandoned arctic station, but neither SnowyOwl were found. Pomadne and Long- Plovershad replacementnests. tracksof letomingsnor any waderswere tailedSkuas also bred at highdensities. recorded. ArcticFoxes bred everywhere. Breeding P.S. Tomkovich & D.E. Te I.V. Dorogoi waderswere undoubtedlysuccessful: broods of Grey Plover,Eastern Golden Plover, Turnstone,Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper and 49, SOUTHERN COAST OF Knot were found. 53ø THE AREA OF TELEKAISKAYA ANADYR' ESTUARY WOODLET (SOURCEOF EKITYKI E.G. Lappo& E.E. SyroechkovskyJr. RIVER, TRIBUTARY OF AMGUEMA) In tundraareas therewas muchsnow, spring was coldand prolonged,and ice brokelate Numbers of voles were low. In late June - 55C. VRANGEL ISLAND (12 June). June was windyand rainy. Lemmingshad low numbers. ArcticFoxes earlyJuly only Grey-tailed Tattler was bred,and activelypredated clutches of observedalong the river(2-3 birdsper 1 km Summer was unusuallycold. Snow started wadersand other birds(>90% of duck nests transect),single pairs of Red-neckedStint to meltas usualin eady June,with ice Calidris ruffcol/is were recorded in the were destroyed).Only a few Long-tailedand breaking-upon the mainrivers by 20 June. ArcticSkuas bred, and non-breedingLong- adjacenttundra• Later,however, temperatures decreased, tailed Skuas remained the whole summer in L V. Dorogoi remainingslightly above freezing for the rest largeflocks especially in coastaltundras. of the summer. Unusuallythere were Breedingpopulations of waders(Dunlin, frequentsnowfalls, rain and fog. As the Temminck'sStint, Red-necked Phalarope) precedingwinter had muchsnow, and were smalldue to large predationpressure 54. SURROUNDINGS OF MYS summer was cold, snow and ice melt was tromArctic Foxes. As a result,only single SHMIDTA SETTLEMENT late and incompleteand causedlate floodsof broodsof waderswere recordedin July. melt-water,exacerbated by highprecipitation. A. V. Kondratyev The seasonwas characterisedby a late Numbersof bothlemming species (especially springand a coldsummer: much snow of SiberianLemming) were very highduring remaineduntil early July. Lemmingnumbers snow-melt,but the animalsfrom late-spring were higherthan average. ArcticFoxes were generationwere almostabsent. As the 50. PROVIDENIYA BAY AT not recorded and Pomadne Skuas bred at vegetationcover was heavilydamaged CHUKOTKA PENINSULA densitiesof0.5 pair/krn 2. The commonest (severalhectares of willowswere completely waderswere Temminck'sStints, Red-necked eaten)the numbersof lemmingsunder snow The weatherwas coldand rainythroughout Stintsand Red-neckedPhalaropes. were exceptionallylarge. In Junetheir populationsdeclined quite rapidly (especially Julyand August. Numberof rodentswas a L V. Dorogoi lowlevel: lemmings were absent,although CollaredLemming), and in Augustthey were several Root Voles and Northern Mouse- several times less abundant than in June. In Hareswere caught ArcticFoxes were not Augustyoung Siberian Lemmings were recorded. 55A. VRANGEL ISLAND extremelyrare unlikeCollared Lemmings.

N. Dokuchaev & P. Gudkov Snowy Owls and PomarineSkuas bred in Springwas late with littlesnow, June was large numbers,but mostof the latterleft the rather cold with snowfalls. Peak numbers of area after 15 July. Numbersof breeding bothlemming species were recorded.Snowy Arctic Foxes were much the same as in 51, BELYAKA SPIT, KOLYUCHINS- Owls bred in large numbersboth in the 1993. Commonwader species (Grey Plover, KAYA BAY foothillsand in the Tundraof Academy Turnstone,Knot and Dunlin)started to breed (densityc.0•5 pairs/km 2 in the middle at the same time and in the same densities as in 1993. In the second half of June Springwas late after a largeamount of snow reachesof NeizvestnayaRiver and on the in winter. Late in June part of the lakes were sourceof the PestsovayaRiver). In the same numbersof breedingbirds decreased due to area Pomadne Skuas bred at densities of 1-2 only50% ice-free, and the sea was still cold, and no late broods were recorded coveredwith ice. Neitherletomings, Arctic pairs/km2. Numbers of themost typical becauseof increasedpmdation pressure. waders(Grey Plover,Turnstone, Knot, Foxesnor breeding skuas were recorded. M.S. Stishov Largebreeding densities of Spoon-billed Dunlin,Pectoral Sandpiper, Grey Phalarope) SandpiperEurhynorhynchas pygmeus and were lessthan usualin late July.

79 SUMMARY declineswere recordedduring summer, and nowherewas an increase observed. As is obviousfrom the data, exceptionallylarge numberof reportswas received(60) covering55 areasøThis At the Taimyrlemmings had largeor averagenumbers enablesus to get an idea of a very complicatedsituation (the largestestimates were in the north-westand centre of with weather conditions,numbers of lemmings,predators, the peninsula).They were few in somecoastal areas of and finallywith breedingconditions of wadersthroughout the centralTaimyr (SterlegovPoint and Cheluskin the vast area of the Russian tundras, At the same time Peninsula). Further lemming increaseswas estimated data from large areas such as Bolshezemel'skayatundra only for the Pyasina Deltaø In five of 12 localitiesin the of Gydan Peninsulaare completelyabsent, and there is a Taimyr,declining trends were observed. Lemmingswere lack of information also from some other areas: thus from absentin westernYakutia (Olenek, Lena Delta,Tiksi), Yakutia data came only for the coast, while those from the numerousor common in the Yana-lndigirkatundras, at southernYakutian tundras are missing, the western edge of Chukotka, and in some areas on NovosibirskiyeIslands, and there were few to the west of Almosteverywhere on the tundraspring was late, delaying the Kolyma River. For the latter area, and also to the the onsetof wader breeding. In the westernpart snow northof IndigirkaDelta, lemmingnumbers increased, and startedto melt early, but was delayed followingthe return for at leasttwo otherareas declines were reported.In of coldweatherø In some otherareas springcame as Chukotka,lemmings were absentin southernparts, but usual,but either windy snowfallsin the latter half of June were recordedin large numbersat Mys Shmidta;they causeda delay of breedingand even movementsof were abundanton VrangelIsland (decreasing during the recentlyarrived birds to the southagain (as recordedin breedingseason), and had low numberson AyonIsland the middleand northernYamal, south-easternTaimyr and Lena Delta), or large amountsof snow resultedin slow Lemmingsreached large numbers as expectedin some meltingand thus high floods,which destroyednests of regions:at the Yamal, on the Taimyr, in Yana-lndigirka clutchesin waders in the flood-plains(right tributaries of tundrasand on Vrangel Island. It is interestingthat these the Kolymaand the Anadyr'basin)ø areas are similar(except Vrangel Island)to the 'core areas'of largelemming numbers in 1991 (moderately Summer was cooler than usual at the Murman coast, at high numbersof lemmingswere recordedalso in both the Kanin Peninsula,at Novaya Zemlya, on Vaigach, at years in someareas of Chukotka). At the sametime the the northof YugorskyPeninsula, on the Belyi Island, in situationin 1994 was differentin some respectsto that in the northof centraland easternTaimyr, in the Kolyma 1991: tundra areas, and further east at the Chukotka coasts. It ß in many areas numberswere not at a maximum; was warmer than usual only in the Yenissey Delta and at the south-eastof Taimyr, while in other areas weather ß areas with peak numbersdid not cover largeterritories conditionswere closeto normal. Localnegative effects as in 1991; and on waderswere caused also by floodsin coastalareas of the Kaninpeninsula. ß decreasein numbershappened earlier, i.e. had alreadyoccurred in springand summer,thus influencingsignificantly, the distributionand breeding Differencesin the timingof springobviously affected successof predators,as well as of waders. many aspectsof wader breedingdistribution. This was notedby severalrespondents, but detailedanalysis is impossiblefrom the data presented. Redistributionof In someforest-tundra, southern tundra and typical tundra areas such as Kanin Peninsula, Pechora Delta, Polar breedingplovers, Little Stints, Curlew Sandpipers and Urals, MiddleYamal and inland mountainsof Chukotka, Bar-tailedGodwits was noticeableat the Yamal, of peak vole numberswere observed,which coincided with Dotterelat the Taimyr,of CurlewSandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiperin the Lena Delta and of Great Knotin the peak lemmingnumbers in more northernareas. mountainsof upperAnadyr'. The distributionof specialisedavian rodent-feederswas, The populationtrends of lemmingswere unevenor in many respects,similar to the distributionof areas of large numbersof lemmings. Snowy Owls bred at the patchy,both over geographically large areas and northernYamal, at the north-west and in the centre of the sometimesalso at the locallevel. In EuropeanRussia, numbersof NorwegianLemmings increased only at the Taimyr,in Yana-lndigirkatundras, at the Novosibirskiye Sem' Ostrovovislands, average numbers of Siberian Islands,and on Vrangel Island. PomafineSkuas were Lemmingswere observedat the north-westKanin foundbreeding in the same areas and additionallyat the peninsula,and locally high numbers (presumably after the north-easternTaimyr and at Mys Shmidta. Other skuas winterpeak) at the YugorskyPeninsula. In other areas, and Rough-leggedBuzzards bred morewidely, but their numbersdepended to a certainextent on rodent lemmingswere eitherfew (Timantundra, PechoraDelta, NovayaZemlya), or were completelyabsent. The abundance.Rough-legged Buzzard had the largest situationin Siberiawas similarlyvariable, with lemming numbersof breedingpairs at the PolarUrals and Middle numbersbeing largerthan usual. Acrossmost of the Yamal, Long-tailedSkua at the north-easternYamal, in Yamal these rodentswere numerousor common,but at the centralTaimyr, and on Vrangel island. the sametime absenton BelyiIsland and at the extreme south(Salekhard). In at leasttwo of six Yamal areas Similarpeculiarities were observedin the distributionof ArcticFoxes. They were absenton some arcticislands,

80 but were recordedin other placesalmost everywhere. Althoughin most areas estimateswere given as about They were numerous(and also bred) only in the eastern average,the Europeanpart with high breeding success partof Yakutia:at FaddeyevskyIsland, near the Indigirka was larger, and low breedingsuccess was not observed Delta, and further east almost up to the Kolyma Delta. anywhere. Furtherto the east this ratiochanges gradually ArcticFoxes bred in a geographicallylarge area but in to low estimates. Thus even taking into accountthe fluctuatingnumbers: inhabited dens were found from the differencein reportersestimates, it can be estimatedthat east of the Kola Peninsulaup to the Anadyr• Estuaryand breedingsuccess of waders declinedalong a cline from Vrangel Island, a significantlydifferent. situation from that west to east. Althoughwaders bred rather successfully, of those years with lowest rodent numbers. reproductionwas lessthan expected,and also less than in 1993 when there was an active increase in rodent Breedingsuccesses of wadersthis year was only slightly numbers. dependenton the weather,as thiswas not noticeably unfavourablein spiteof the prevalenceof comparatively As in 1991, and the forecastsmade in that year for 1992, low summertemperatures• Broodmortality caused by it is predictedthat althoughthe declineof lemming weather conditionswas reportedonly for the Aynovy Isles numbers started in 1994, some areas with their rather and for the Sterlegov Point area. Predationby Arctic largenumbers will remainin 1995, for exampleat the Foxes and skuas was the main factor that determined northof the MiddleTaimyr. After a rathergood breeding breedingsuccess of waders. Many respondentsrecorded season,predator numbers will remainlarge, and as the predatorsswitching from feedingon rodentsto birdsin numbersof lemmingswill be mostlylow, these predators those areas,where lemmingswere decliningduring the will noticeablyaffect breeding birds and theirclutches. season and in some other areas with low numbers of Thus even if the best weather conditionsoccur, it is hardly rodents.This increasedpredation pressure was the most possibleto expectsuccessful breeding of wadersin obviouslate in the breeding season at the Yamal and tundras in 1995. Taimyr. P.S. Tornkovich Estimatesof waders'breeding success differed greatly between the areas, but one common trend is revealed.