30 Wader breeding conditionsin the Russiantundras in 1997 P.S. Tomkovich & Y. V. Zharikov Tomkovich,P.S. & Zharikov,Y.V. 1998. Wader breedingconditions in the Russiantundras in 1997. WaderStudy Group Bull. 87: 30-42. For the secondyear in a row therewas a very late springin the tundrasof EuropeanRussia and northernmostwest Siberia. Despitethe fact that springstarted extremely early in the southerntundra of westSiberia and on Taimyr,snow stormsand very low temperaturesreturned to Yamaland western Taimyr in late May. Springwas reported as being relativelylate andprolonged at mostsites further east than Taimyr, but more variable on Chukotka.As a result,many correspondentsreported a latestart to breedingand low breedingdensities in wadersin EuropeanRussia and in some Siberianareas. The summerwas humid and cold in EuropeanRussia and in westSiberia; variable but about normal conditionswere observed to the eastof Taimyr,while it waswarm and dry on almostthe whole of Taimyrand on WrangelIsland. Harshweather decreased nest and/or chick survival on VaigachIsland, Yugorsky Peninsula, Yamal, north-westTaimyr, and the lower OlenyokRiver. It waspredicted that the increase in thelemming (Lemmus sibiricus, Dicrostonyx torquatus) population which started on centralTaimyr and in theLena Delta in 1996would spread through larger areas in 1997. This happened,but on a much smallerscale than expected. Peak numbers of lemmingswere recorded at localesto the southof theByrranga Mountruns onTaimyr and at thelower Olenyok River. Averagelemming densities were found on Yugorsky (Europe), northern Yamal,some areas on Taimyrand the Lena Delta, at lowerIndigirka and at ShmidtCape. However,a decreasein their numbersduring the season was noted in mostcases. Arctic Foxes Alopex lagopus were numerous in EuropeanRussia, on Taimyr,in the LenaDelta, at lowerIndigirka and on BelyakaSpit (Chukotka). Their breedingin mostof theseand in someother areas was successful. No siteswith highnumbers of lemming-specializingarian predators(Snowy Owl Nycteascandiaca and Pomafine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus) were found. One or bothof thesespecies were breeding in low to moderatenumbers on northernYamal, north-west and central Taimyr, in the Olenyokmouth, in somesections of theLena Delta, at ShmidtCape and on Wrangel Island. Thus, the situation with letomingsand predators was very patchy Breedingsuccess of waderswas evaluated as low (upto averagefor somespecies) in thewestern section of theRussian Arcticand in mostcases not less than average on centralTaimyr and further east. This conclusion is oppositeto the predictionmade in 1996. Takinginto account the patchy lemming distribution and the increasing Arctic Fox numbersin 1997it canbe predicted thatgenerally moderate wader breeding success in 1998will beobserved with a betterbreeding output in theEuropean andwest Siberian sections. Results in theCentral and East Siberian regions will probablybe worsethan in 1997. Tomkovich,P.S. ZoologicalMuseum, Moscow Lomonosov State University, 6 BolshayaNikitskaya Street, Moscow,103009, Russia (Compiling& editing) Zharikov,Y.V. Departmentof Zoology,Univ. of Queensland,Brisbane, QLD-4072, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] (Translation) INTRODUCTION AND METHODS financialsupport and, overall, activities in thisarea should Presentedhere is the 10th review of waderbreeding conditions become noticeable to researchers in 1998. in the Russiantundra. Ten yearsof collectiveefforts focussed on one targetdemonstrated that this methodof annualdata Basedon a three-yearcycle, in 1997it wasexpected that there collectionwas viable andits resultsimportant. Over the ten wouldbe peakpopulation numbers of lemmmgsin mostparts yearperiod reports from 185 authorshave been received; of the RussianArctic. However, in 1996 the situation with many of them becomingregular contributors.Two of them (V. localdistribution and population trends was very V. Morozovand E. E. Syroechkovski,Jr.) have provided their heterogeneous,an indicationof a slightdeparture from the dataevery year while five moreauthors (I. V. Dorogoi,Ya. I. typicalcycle rules. As a result,forecasting for 1997became Kokorev,S. P. Paskhal'ny,V. K. Ryabitsevand M. S. Stishov) complicated.Eventually a suggestionwas made that if the missedonly one or two years. This effort hasbeen encouraged weatherconditions were typicalfor the zone,then the summer by our foreigncolleagues and began an internationalproject of 1997 wouldbe favourablefor tundrabreeding waders of the directedat creationof a databaseencompassing breeding westernsector of the Arctic, while birdsnesting in northern conditionsof Arctic birdsin the entirecircumpolar region (see Yakutiawould suffer poor reproductive success (see WSG Page43). It is also worth mentioningthat the organisational Bull. 83: 26-36). Informationprovided by ourcontributors phaseof the databasedevelopment project has received allowsus to assessthis prediction. 31 , 26 3 > 15 6 7 RESULTS than usualnumbers of young fish in the littoral zone, many 1. Franz Jozef Land archipelago. Judgingfrom the heavy fewer gulls were countedin the area. Also, it was not ice conditionson 17 - 20 Augustthe summerwas cold. Ice on uncommonto seegulls searching the tundrafor bird nests. the channelsin the westernand northernparts of the Breedingwader numbers were noticeablylower than in the archipelagonever broke. No rodentsoccur there. Predatory previousyear. This wasespecially true for Ruff Philomachus birds(Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus,Parasitic Skua pugnaxand Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii. Lelddngin Stercorariusparasiticus) bred successfully. Records of the Ruff wasless pronounced and their flockswere smallerin wadersduring the observationperiod were ratherscarce: one sizethan in previousyears. The startof clutchinitiation was sightingof a PurpleSandpiper Calidris maritima and two of delayedby at leasttwo weeks. No waderchicks were seen RuddyTumstones Arenaria interpres. Since more Purple beforemid-June while the timing of hatchingin passefines Sandpiperswere recorded on theNortbmk island in 1996(G. was, as usual,early July. M. Tertitski,pets. comm.), it is suggestedthat in 1997 wader breedingsuccess was poor. Yu. M. Schadilov, A. V. Belousova A. E. Volkov 3. At Kolguev Island the springwas late andprolonged. By the middleof June,the daily temperaturedid not exceed 2. At the south-easternpart of the RusskiZavorot +3-5ø C, droppingbelow freezing at night. Precipitationwas peninsula,at KhabuikaLake the spring was late andextended. in the form of both rain and snow (the last snowfall occurred Frommid-June and through early Julythe weatherwas cold on 8 July). The two weeksafter 12 July were warm with andwith strong,mostly northerly winds. Due to this,plant averagedaily temperaturesof +10-12ø C (somedays up to growthand thawing of permafrostwere very slow. The +16-18øC);rain andcold remmed in lateJuly. Plant overallpredator-rodent situation was similar to the previous developmentappeared delayed: grasses and sedgesemerged year. The abundanceof RootVoles Microtus oeconomus and andshrub buds began unfolding on uplandtundra only in early SiberianLemmings Lernrnus sibiricus remained low. Arctic Julyattaining full foliageonly duringthe secondhalf of July. FoxesAlopex lagopus were common and many dens were dug. This resultedin greaterexposure of nestsand chicks of waders No SnowyOwls Nyctea scandiacawere recorded.Only to avianpredators. Isolated snow fields persisted in deeper ParasiticSkuas nested in the areawhile Long-tailedSkuas depressionsand on shadedslopes through early July. Full Stercorarius1ongicaudus were seenpassing through. clutches in most waders as well as the first instances of Numbersof Rough-leggedBuzzards Buteo lagopus were low hatchingwere detectedduring mid-July. The more common andno nestingwas documented.Perhaps due to the lower speciesincluded Grey PloverPluvialis squararola, Dunlin 32 Calidrisalpina, Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus Iobatus, of the studyarea hatching four chickseach. Severalnestless andRinged Plover Charadrius hiaticula, as well assome Long-tailedSkuas were encountered in the samelocation. Little StintsCalidris minuta and Ruffs. Separatepairs and Largegulls were commonbut mostlydid not nest. Few smallflocks of OystercatchersHaematopus ostralegus were broodsof BarnacleGeese Branta leucopsis,Common Eiders constantlyseen along the lower Bugryanka river flow. Their Somateriamollissima and Long-tailed Ducks Clangula clutchesand young apparently fell preyto HerringGulls Larus hyemaliswere seen,other geese bred more actively. Most of argentatusand Parasitic Slmas (most Parasitic Slma nests had the waterfowlnests that were discoveredwere predated. onlyone egg or chick). Only oneSnowy Owl wasseen. The Wadernumbers were at their minimum. Singlenests of Ringed adultbird mortalitywas mostly due to Peregrines:three Plovers,Ruddy Tumstones, Little andTemminck's Stints, Peregrinenests contained remains of Dunlinsand a Ruff. Dunlin andPurple Sandpipers were found;likewise, juvenile With the absenceof rodentsRough-legged Buzzards mostly birdssighted at the endof the seasonwere extremely rare. preyedon birds but the two investigated nests contained no Somepassefine pairs bred successfully.Overall the season wader remains. Arctic Foxes were scarce and their dens turnedout to be ratherunfavourable for many breedingbirds. containedonly gooseremains. V. N. Kalyakin V. Glazov 6. At the north-westernend of Vaigach island (upper 4. At the settlementof Byelush'ein the southernpart of Dolgaya bay) the weatherconditions