Rapid Assessment of the Ecological Value of the Bojana – Buna Delta (Albania/Montenegro) 26 Schneider-Jacoby et al. 2006 5 Results of Euronatur Fieldwork 27 in 2003/2004 5.1 Study area and field methods were used according to the method or type of observation employed: 1) dispersed observations 2) point counting Field surveys where conducted along the whole Bojana- (monitoring from a specific point), 3) territory mapping Buna river between the Adriatic Sea and Lake Skadar (no. 1, – day, 4) territory mapping – night, 5) transect counting, 3 and 4 in Map 1). Within this area of 455 km2, which includes 6) area counting – polygon, 7) area counting – circle, and the Drinisa River upstream to Mjeda (power plant Vau 8) personal communications. During spring and summer, Dejes) the floodplains of the river covering 250 km2 were most study sites that constituted defined habitat types were investigated. The main objectives of our surveys including investigated at least once or twice on each field visit (in the whole recent delta (100 km2) were to collect data on the total, at least four times) by territory mapping and transect status and numbers of breeding and wintering waterbird counts. Transects were 100 m wide with 50 m-belts left and populations, to locate breeding colonies and important right of the survey line. Methods according to Bibby et al. feeding areas of waterbirds, and to assess the avifaunistic (1992) were used for territory mapping while, for nocturnal value of the wetlands of the Bojana-Buna Delta in the light species like Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla, Scops Owl Otus of human impact (e.g. hunting). In addition to these main scops and European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, the goals, we collected data on breeding and wintering non- playback method was applied. aquatic birds, their densities at the habitat level and, so far as possible, on the occurrence of other animal and plant species. Surprisingly, almost nothing has been published on breeding densities and numbers during migration and 5.1.1 Fieldwork and habitats wintering for the majority of bird species, in particular passerines, in Albania and Montenegro. The intensity of our fieldwork in the Bojana-Buna Delta was greater towards the head of the delta and decreased with Fieldwork was conducted from April 2003 to January distance from the core floodplain areas along the river. In 2004 (Table 3). In total, different observers in the Bojana- the same way the most accurate survey methods were used Buna Delta spent 147 field days. On each field visit 2-6 in the head of the delta and along the river (Map 4). Between ornithologists participated. For field surveys, topographical spring 2003 and January 2004 we surveyed the whole area of and satellite charts indicating habitat types were used on floodplains (Table 4). During the breeding season of 2003 we which all observation sites were marked. Different data sheets carried out territory mapping (at least for selected species) Table 3: Field days spent in the Bojana-Buna Delta, April 10th 2003 - Jan 31st 2004 Observer 10 – 12 Apr 22 Apr – 9 May 10 – 19 June 31 Oct – 14 Nov 23 – 31 Jan Total Taulant Bino (AL) - - - - 2 2 Klodian Aliu (AL) - - - - 2 2 Dritan Dora (AL) - - - 1 2 3 Borut Rubinic 7 4 - - - 11 Peter Sackl (A) 7 6 10 12 7 42 Darko Saveljic (CG) 7 5 1 - 1 14 Jakob Smole (SI) 7 6 - 12 - 25 Martin Schneider-Jacoby (D) 3 0 - 2 3 8 Borut Stumberger (SI) 9 7 10 7 7 40 Total 147 Table 4: Areas covered by field different methods in the Bojana-Buna Delta (April 2003 – January 2004) method visit (area in km2) 22 Apr – 9 May 10 – 19 June 31 Oct – 14 Nov 23 – 31 Jan Total monitoring from the point 9x - - - 9x area mapping – day 42,68 43,54 - - 86,22 area mapping – night 1,63 19,34 - - 20,97 area counting – transect 2,69 2,60 0,92 0,83 7,04 area counting – polygon 95,60 65,80 100,33 82,84 344,57 area counting – circle 0,10 0,09 - - 0,19 personal communication 4x 3x - 1x 8x Schneider-Jacoby et al. 2006 over an area of 107 km2 during the day and/or night, and or winter visitors (Chapter 10.8). In comparison, Vasic (1979b) over 183 km2 outside the breeding season. In the breeding recorded 229 species around Ulcinj between 1969 and 1975, season, area counts (polygon) were used in the impassable including 56 confirmed and 23 probably breeding species. marshlands and for open water bodies, covering 161 km2 For the Lake Skadar area, Vizi (1981) listed a total of 250 bird 29 in total. Bird communities of different habitat types were species. According to the species – area relationship for investigated along a transect line of >70 km. Additionally, the Mediterranean region discussed by Blondel & Aronson 2,643 dispersed observations covered those parts of the (1999), the Bojana-Buna Delta (445 km2 study area, of which area to which standard methods could not be applied. 250 km2 are floodplains) harbours an extraordinarily rich Habitat types surveyed covered the following surface areas: bird community. The number of breeding species (ca. 40) is prodelta (estuary and sea), 50 km2; salinas, 14.5 km2; small also well above the average for areas of comparable size. scale agricultural areas, 8.6 km2; marshlands, 8.2 km2; coastal sand dunes, 6.6 km2; lakes, 3.5 km2 (for the remainder see Chapter 10.7). 5.2.2 Cormorants, Herons, Spoonbill and Ibis Statistics: Nspec = 13, Nobs = 435, Nind = 2134, Ncolonies= 5.1.2 Data processing 838 bp (Nspec= 7, see Table 6) Status: EOAC – breeding confirmed: Phalacrocorax After the first visit the project team developed a GIS- carbo, P. pygmeus, Nycticorax nycticorax, Ardeola connected Access-database. A single data set (single ralloides, Egretta garzetta, Ardea cinerea, Platalea observation per species/day/location) includes up to 36 leucorodia; breeding probable: Ixobrychus parameters (Chapter 10.6). Besides analysing the data for minutus, Botaurus stellaris; breeding possible: this report the idea was to implement a database, which Ardea purpurea, Plegadis falcinellus; could be useful for conservationists, ornithologists and non-breeding visitors: Phalacrocorax aristotelis, ecologists for further investigations requiring comparable Egretta alba. and exchangeable data on both sides of the Bojana-Buna Delta. Seven species of colonial waterbirds were found nesting The Bojana-Buna database actually (April 2004) includes in colonies on the islands of Paratuk and Ada, and in the 6,981 data sets collected during our visits: 6,668 concerning marshes of Velipoja Reserve (Table 6). Purple Heron Ardea the Bojana-Buna Delta and 313 other coastal wetlands purpurea probably breed in the area, but could not be visited in Croatia, Montenegro (including Lake Skadar) and confirmed; the breeding population of the species is Albania. The distribution of data across taxa in the study area estimated at 4-8 bp. Numbers of booming males of Great is presented in Table 5. Bittern Botaurus stellaris fluctuated between 7 and 15; the breeding population of Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus is Table 5: Distribution of data across taxa, April 2003 – January 2004 estimated at 4 – 20 bp. (Bojana-Buna Delta, N = 6,668) Nesting colonies are concentrated along the Bojana-Buna order data sets Individuals species River, which constitutes the border between Albania and plants* 10 1,435 4 Montenegro (Map 4.2). insects* 35 2,575 10 (+ 2 genera) fishes* 1 10,003 1 Table 6: Cormorant, Heron, Spoonbill and Ibis colonies in the Bojana-Buna amphibians 54 1,502 5 delta in 2003 reptiles 37 93 8 (+ 1 genus) birds 6,184 127,445 237 (+ 7 subspecies) species mammals 43 95 11 Ada* Paratuk Velipoja** total human* 224 3,264 1 (11 classifications) Phalacrocorax carbo -2-2 domestic animals 80 4,622 9 Phalacrocorax pymeus 125 220 20 365 *mostly field estimates Nycticorax nycticorax 30 25 ? 55 Ardeola ralloides 36 30 10 76 Egretta garzetta 70 210 8 288 5.2 Results of the Euronatur Research in Egretta alba ---- 2003/2004 Ardea cinerea 15 - - 15 Ardea purpurea ?-?? Plegadis falcinellus - 58 ind*** - ? Platalea leucorodia 1981037 5.2.1 Birds * colony destroyed by humans after May 12th ** satellite colony formed after May 12th *** roosting site Between April 2003 and January 2004 we recorded 237 bird species in the Bojana-Buna Delta (including records of 3 extra-limital vagrants). These include 114 breeding birds Feeding habitats and feeding areas of nesting colonies (status: breeding confirmed and probably breeding) and 16 are shown in map 4.2. The most important feeding habitat species possibly breeding in the area. In addition 52 species during the breeding period (April-June) throughout the are classified as regular and 51 as occasional passage migrants river delta and along the lower Bojana-Buna river was the Schneider-Jacoby et al. 2006 Ulcinj salina (44.7%), followed by marshlands (7.9%), lakes predators, this colony urgently needs conservation measures (9.0%), lagoons (7.3%), and ponds (4.8%). The other 26.3% to be imposed. To prevent their final destruction the are distributed across ten habitat types. The feeding habitats colonies on both Paratuk and Ada require urgent protection for each species are recorded in Table 7. A narrow scale of (the public should also be informed). In addition, suitable 31 feeding habitat selection is shown by Eurasian Spoonbills nesting habitats are being lost progressively throughout the Platalea leucorodia (salinas – in the basins with abating Bojana-Buna delta by the disappearance of islands due to water level) and Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus (marsh – up the erosion of the delta’s head, and drying up of wetlands to 20 cm flooded Carex-Juncus stands, which are grazed or in the wake of the impoverished river’s dynamics.