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 _/'"• 212.0 37•9e, 17. ' c .........................._ 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 three to 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