The year is almost over now, and Muraviovka Park is covered under a blanket of snow, with morning temperatures around -30°C - as the Park´s director Svetlana Yakovenko wrote me this week.
So it´s time for a summary of the year 2013 for the Amur Bird Project!
A lot of interesting and valuable information about the birdlife in this poorly known region was obtained. We started to study the wintering birds in February, observed the spring migration until June and collected data about the breeding birds during all summer. From August to October we continued the monitoring of the autumnal migration for the third year now. Many species have been recorded for the first time in the Park (e.g. Eastern Crowned Warbler) or even in the region (e.g. Yellow-bellied Tit). For other birds we proofed breeding for the first time in the area (e.g. Chestnut-flanked Whiteeye). But most important is the data about the endangered wetland species that still inhabit Muraviovka Park and which make this place an area of international conservation concern (e.g. Baer´s Pochard, Yellow-breasted Bunting). The year was everything but usual: high water levels and a flood filled the wetlands, which kept us safe from fires. The famous roosting site of Hooded and White-naped Cranes was therefore not used during this autumn - while flocks of the extremely rare Siberian Crane found favorable conditions. Hundreds of visitors from the region were impressed by the beauty of their natural heritage and the diversity of bird species (e.g. Week 18), and presentations were held to raise environmental awareness (e.g. Week 9).
All in all, 9439 birds have been caught during our scientific work - 7651 individuals out of 133 species got ringed, and 1788 birds out of 68 species were re-trapped. See the table at the end of the post for a detailed list!
All this would not have been possible without the volunteer work of everybody who participated in the project - thank you, it was a great time with you! I also want to thank the Muraviovka Park staff and friends for all their crucial support during the year, especially Sergei Smirenski, Svetlana Yakovenko, Juri, Marina, Vitja and Alexander. Special thanks also to Juliana Nefjedowa: she helped us again in many ways with her language skills and made the excellent video blog. Further support came from Natalia Gromova, the Blagoveshchensk State Pedagogical University and many others. Big thanks also to the organisations which provided financial support.
Not everything which was planned before was possible due to financial, logistical and personell restrictions: our summer school was cancelled because of the flood and our surveys for rare reed warblers and other endangered bird species took place only inside of Muraviovka Park. But the Amur Bird Project will go on in summer 2014! Further details will be published here soon.
//Wieland
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| ABP-Team winter 2013: Birthe, Wieland and Charlotte (f.l.t.r.) |
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| ABP-Team spring 2013: Franziska, Naomi and Wieland (f.l.t.r.) |
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| ABP-Team summer 2013: Franziska, Ulrich, Kolja, Wieland, Andreas and Peter (f.l.t.r.) |
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| ABP-Team early autumn 2013: Janina, Viktoria, Susanne, Wieland, Christine, Simon, Pia and Arend (f.l.t.r.) |
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| ABP-Team late autumn 2013: Bert, Pia and Steve (f.l.t.r.) |
Total traps, 27.02.-25.10.2013: 9439 birds out of 133 species (E = ringed, R = re-trapped)
| E | R | Sum | |||
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Пеночка-зарничка | Gelbbrauen-Laubsänger | 1001 | 93 | 1094 |
| Siberian Rubythroat | Соловей-красношейка | Rubinkehlchen | 658 | 139 | 797 |
| Black-faced Bunting | Седоголовая овсянка | Maskenammer | 588 | 168 | 756 |
| Red-flanked Bluetail | Синехвостка | Blauschwanz | 443 | 184 | 627 |
| Tree Sparrow | Полевой воробей | Feldsperling | 347 | 204 | 551 |
| Thick-billed Warbler | Толстоклювая камышевка | Dickschnabel-Rohrsänger | 410 | 134 | 544 |
| Dusky Warbler | Бурая пеночка | Dunkellaubsänger | 402 | 137 | 539 |
| Long-tailed Rosefinch | Урагус | Meisengimpel | 220 | 201 | 421 |
| Long-tailed Tit | Ополовник | Schwanzmeise | 186 | 40 | 226 |
| Little Bunting | Овсянка-крошка | Zwergammer | 214 | 5 | 219 |
| Rustic Bunting | Овсянка-ремез | Waldammer | 159 | 16 | 175 |
| Taiga Flycatcher | Восточная малая мухоловка | Taigaschnäpper | 156 | 14 | 170 |
| Common Redpoll | Обыкновенная чечетка | Birkenzeisig | 153 | 11 | 164 |
| Marsh Tit | Черноголовая гаичка | Sumpfmeise | 121 | 41 | 162 |
| Radde´s Warbler | Толстоклювая пеночка | Bartlaubsänger | 113 | 21 | 134 |
| Common Rosefinch | Обыкновенная чечевица | Karmingimpel | 117 | 14 | 131 |
| Black-browed Reed Warbler | Чернобровая камышевка | Brauenrohrsänger | 119 | 7 | 126 |
| Pallas´s Grasshopper Warbler | Певчий сверчок | Streifenschwirl | 99 | 21 | 120 |
| Brown Shrike | Сибирский жулан | Braunwürger | 102 | 16 | 118 |
| Yellow-browed Bunting | Желтобровая овсянка | Gelbbrauenammer | 102 | 16 | 118 |
| Brambling | Юрок | Bergfink | 110 | 5 | 115 |
| Arctic Warbler | Пеночка-таловка | Wanderlaubsänger | 103 | 5 | 108 |
| Common Magpie | Сорока | Elster | 100 | 0 | 100 |
| Grey-backed Thrush | Сизый дрозд | Gartendrossel | 61 | 30 | 91 |
| Eurasian Skylark | Полевой жаворонок | Feldlerche | 86 | 0 | 86 |
| Olive-backed Pipit | Пятнистый конек | Waldpieper | 77 | 2 | 79 |
| Amur Falcon | Амурский кобчик | Amurfalke | 73 | 0 | 73 |
| Pallas´ Leaf Warbler | Корольковая пеночка | Goldhähnchen-Laubsänger | 64 | 8 | 72 |
| Two-barred Warbler | Зеленая пеночка | Middendorff-Laubsänger | 58 | 14 | 72 |
| Siberian Accentor | Сибирская завирушка | Bergbraunelle | 61 | 10 | 71 |
| Willow Tit | Пухляк | Weidenmeise | 54 | 16 | 70 |
| Oriental Reed Warbler | Восточная дроздовидная камышевка | Chinarohrsänger | 53 | 15 | 68 |
| Elegant Bunting | Желтогорлая овсянка | Gelbkehlammer | 48 | 18 | 66 |
| Yellow-rumped Flycatcher | Желтоспинная мухоловка | Goldschnäpper | 56 | 6 | 62 |
| Mugimaki Flycatcher | Таежная мухоловка | Mugimakischnäpper | 53 | 8 | 61 |
| Pallas´ Reed Bunting | Полярная овсянка | Pallasammer | 52 | 4 | 56 |
| Barn Swallow | Деревенская ласточка | Rauchschwalbe | 43 | 11 | 54 |
| Pale-legged Leaf Warbler | Бледноногая пеночка | Ussurilaubsänger | 48 | 5 | 53 |
| Eurasian Nuthatch | Обыкновенный поползень | Kleiber | 31 | 16 | 47 |
| Northern Great Tit | Большая синица | Kohlmeise | 27 | 20 | 47 |
| Pallas´s Rosefinch | Сибирская чечевица | Rosengimpel | 37 | 4 | 41 |
| Swinhoe´s Robin | Соловей-свистун | Schwirrnachtigall | 31 | 10 | 41 |
| Dusky Thrush | Бурый дрозд | Rostflügeldrossel | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| Naumann´s Thrush | Дрозд Науманна | Rostschwanzdrossel | 30 | 3 | 33 |
| Azure-winged Magpie | Голубая сорока | Blauelster | 24 | 8 | 32 |
| Bohemian Waxwing | Свиристель | Seidenschwanz | 30 | 1 | 31 |
| Lanceolated Warbler | Пятнистый сверчок | Strichelschwirl | 27 | 2 | 29 |
| Siberian Stonechat | Черноголовый чекан | Sibirisches Schwarzkehlchen | 27 | 2 | 29 |
| Long-eared Owl | Ушастая сова | Waldohreule | 26 | 1 | 27 |
| Japanese Reed Bunting | Рыжешейная овсянка | Mandschurenammer | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| Arctic Redpoll | Пепельная чечетка | Polarbirkenzeisig | 16 | 6 | 22 |
| Eurasian Jay | Сойка | Eichelhäher | 17 | 4 | 21 |
| Eurasian Wryneck | Вертишейка | Wendehals | 13 | 8 | 21 |
| Chestnut Bunting | Рыжая овсянка | Rötelammer | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Eurasian Bullfinch cineracea | Серый снегирь | Gimpel ssp. cineracea | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| White-backed Woodpecker | Белоспинный дятел | Weißrückenspecht | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Pin-tailed Snipe | Азиатский бекас | Spießbekassine | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Bluethroat | Варакушка | Blaukehlchen | 14 | 4 | 18 |
| Pine Bunting | Белошапочная овсянка | Fichtenammer | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| Grey Nightjar | Большой козодой | Dschungelnachtschwalbe | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| White-cheeked Starling | Серый скворец | Weißwangenstar | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Фазан | Fasan | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| Common Kingfisher | Обыкновенный зимородок | Eisvogel | 14 | 1 | 15 |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Малый пестрый дятел | Kleinspecht | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Перепелятник | Sperber | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Asian Brown Flycatcher | Ширококлювая мухоловка | Braunschnäpper | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Большой пестрый дятел | Buntspecht | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | Седой дятел | Grauspecht | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Oriental Turtle Dove | Большая горлица | Orientturteltaube | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Hawfinch | Обыкновенный дубонос | Kernbeißer | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Northern Hobby | Чеглок | Baumfalke | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Eurasian Treecreeper | Обыкновенная пищуха | Waldbaumläufer | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| Goldcrest | Желтоголовый королек | Wintergoldhähnchen | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Siberian Thrush | Cибирский дрозд | Schieferdrossel | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Eastern Great Tit | Восточная синица | Östliche Kohlmeise | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Grey Wagtail | Горная трясогузка | Gebirgsstelze | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Hoopoe | Удод | Wiedehopf | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Eurasian Woodcock | Вальдшнеп | Waldschnepfe | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Schrenck´s Bittern | Амурский волчок | Mandschurendommel | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Eastern x Northern Great Tit | Восточная x Большая синица | Kohlmeisen-Hybrid minor x major | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Eastern Yellow Wagtail | Зеленоголовая трясогузка | Östliche Schafstelze | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Tristram´s Bunting | Таежная овсянка | Tristramammer | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Daurian Redstart | Сибирская горихвостка | Spiegelrotschwanz | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Azure Tit | Князек | Lasurmeise | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Black-eared Kite | Черный коршун | Schwarzohrmilan | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Common Cuckoo | Обыкновенная кукушка | Kuckuck | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Eastern Crowned Warbler | Свeтлоголовая пеночка | Kronenlaubsänger | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Eastern Rook | Грач | Östliche Saatkrähe | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Oriental Crow | Восточная черная ворона | Östliche Rabenkrähe | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Oriental Scops Owl | Восточная совка | Orient-Zwergohreule | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Upland Buzzard | Мохноногий курганник | Mongolenbussard | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| White Wagtail | Белая трясогузка | Bachstelze | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Eyebrowed Thrush | Оливковый дрозд | Weißbrauendrossel | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Siberian Blue Robin | Синий соловей | Blaunachtigall | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Baillon´s Crake | Погоныш-крошка | Zwergsumpfhuhn | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Chestnut-flanked Whiteeye | Буробокая белоглазка | Rostflanken-Brillenvogel | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Coal Tit | Московка | Tannenmeise | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Common Reed Bunting | Камышовая овсянка | Rohrammer | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Gray´s Grasshopper Warbler | Таежный сверчок | Riesenschwirl | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Grey-streaked Flycatcher | Пестрогрудая мухоловка | Strichelschnaepper | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Meadow Bunting | Красноухая овсянка | Wiesenammer | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Northern Lapwing | Чибис | Kiebitz | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Oriental Cuckoo | Глухая кукушка | Hopfkuckuck | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Red-throated Pipit | Краснозобый конек | Rotkehlpieper | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| David´s Bush Warbler | Малая пестрогрудка | Davidbuschsänger | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| White´s Thrush | Пестрый дрозд | Erddrossel | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Winter Wren | Крапивник | Zaunkönig | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker | Большой острокрылый дятел | Grauscheitelspecht | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Yellow-bellied Tit | Желтобрюхая синица | Schmuckmeise | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Asian Stubtail | короткохвостка | Stummelsänger | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Band-bellied Crake | Большой погоныш | Mandarinsumpfhuhn | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Black-naped Oriole | Черноголовая иволга | Schwarznackenpirol | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Brown-cheeked Rail | Водяной пастушок | Braunohrralle | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Buff-bellied Pipit | Конек американский | Pazifikpieper | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chestnut-eared Bunting | Ошейниковая овсянка | Bandammer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Common Crossbill | Клест-еловик | Fichtenkreuzschnabel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Common Snipe | Бекас | Bekassine | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eurasian Kestrel | Обыкновенная пустельга | Turmfalke | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eurasian Siskin | Чиж | Erlenzeisig | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Japanese Quail | Японский перепел | Japanwachtel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Japanese Sparrowhawk | Малый перепелятник | Trillersperber | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Japanese Waxwing | Амурский свиристель | Blutseidenschwanz | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lapland Bunting | Лапландский подорожник | Spornammer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mallard | Кряква | Stockente | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | Тетеревятник | Habicht | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Northern Hawk Owl | Иглоногая сова | Falkenkauz | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oriental Greenfinch | Китайская зеленушка | Chinagrünling | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Pale Thrush | Бледный дрозд | Fahldrossel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Pine Grosbeak | Щур | Hakengimpel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Richard´s Pipit | Степной конек | Spornpieper | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Snow Bunting | Пуночка | Schneeammer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| White-throated Rock Thrush | Белогорлый дрозд | Amurrötel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Yellow-breasted Bunting | Дубровник | Weidenammer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
