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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

First recovery from South Korea

Ringed Olive-backed Pipit at Ansan-si, South Korea, 16.10.2015 © Hyeong-Ji Kim
During the past five years we have ringed more than 27.000 birds of more than 150 species at Muraviovka Park, which produced more than 5000 local re-traps. However, long-distance re-traps of our ringed birds are still an exceptional rarity. One of our Long-tailed Rosefinchs was captured by Chinese ringers at Nenjiang (see here), and a Rustic Bunting was found near Haigang (see here). Now we received our first recovery from South Korea, a real Christmas present: a ringed Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni was photographed at Ansan-si 16th of October 2015, and luckily most of the digits were readable, but unfortunately not all. This bird was ringed between 18th of September and 13th of October 2015 at Muraviovka Park, and was now re-sighted 1375 km to the south, only some days or weeks after ringing. Most likely, the bird was still on migration and has not yet reached its wintering grounds. This record shows the impressive possibilities of digital photography - even small rings of Passerine birds can be recognized, to fill more and more gaps in the knowledge regarding the East Asian flyway.
the Olive-backed Pipit was found 1375km to the south (see black arrow)
Big thanks to the observer Hyeong-Ji Kim and Jong-Gil Park, as well as Sergei M. Smirenski, Irina Kharitonova and the Bird Ringing Centre of Russia, and not forget to all the volunteers and ringers of this years´ Amur Bird Project autumn team.

//Wieland
Olive-backed Pipit at Muraviovka Park, September 2015 © Martin Suanjak

Friday, December 4, 2015

Save the Baer´s Pochard!

 

Our new stickers are printed! In Russian language, they say:

"Only here: Baer´s Pochard. Muraviovka Park is home for many globally endangered species. Illegal hunting is the major threat for wild ducks and geese."

Big thanks to Zhang Ming and the Baer´s Pochard Task Force for the photo, to Robert Heim for the design and to Juliana Nefjodowa for translation and of course to The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund for financial support.

We are going to spread them among locals during our work in the Amur region in 2016. Our survey this year failed to find a single Baer´s Pochard, the situation for this critically endangered species seems to be worse than expected!

//Wieland

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Bird ringer needed!

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - one of the highlights during spring at Muraviovka Park © Peter Meffert

Bird ringer (m/f) needed!

For the upcoming spring season at Muraviovka Park in Far East Russia, the Amur Bird Project is searching for a bird ringer. You should be able to stay at least for 8 weeks between 11th of April and 5th of June 2016 to run the daily mist-netting program at our station. I´m afraid you have to pay your travel and visa costs, but housing and groceries are included, as well as more than 3000 birds of nearly 100 species in your hands. You should be able to speak either English or German, and of course, Russian language skills are very welcome. If you have experience with mist-nets, handling and measuring of palearctic birds and if you hold a ringing permit, please send your application until 6th of November 2015 to amurbirding {ät} gmx.de

//Wieland

Friday, October 23, 2015

22y old Red-crowned Crane!

Red-crowned Crane "3C7" at Muraviovka Park, 21/09/2015 © Silas Wolf
The mystery is solved! We finally know the origin of the color-ringed Red-crowned Crane, which was spotted by the ABP team some weeks ago (see here). Together with its mate and two chicks the bird stood on a field at Muraviovka Park, close to Duchovskoie village on the 21st of September 2015. The white ring on its leg was clearly visible: "3C7".

Now we know that "3C7" was ringed as juvenile at Khinganski Nature Reserve, only 165 kilometers eastward. But the date is most surprising: "3C7" was marked 14th of July 1993 - which means the bird is now more than 22 years old! It is surely one of the oldest individuals living in the wild. Two decades ago "3C7" was ringed by Kiyoaki Ozaki from Japan and Vladimir Andronov from Russia. That time its weight was about 2.1kg, somewhat heavier than its sibling "3C8", which weighed only 1.7kg. Now it is an adult bird, and most likely bred at Muraviovka Park. It´s hard to believe that the bird has gone unnoticed for such a long time!

The eastern population of the endangered Red-crowned Crane is declining rapidly, but the population at Muraviovka Park is rather stable now on a low level with two to four breeding pairs each year.

Big thanks to everybody who helped to solve this mystery:
Sergei M. Smirenksi, Kiyoaki Ozaki, Mikhail Parilov, Jim Harris,  Rimma Andronova, Jiang Hongxing, Cao Lei, Sergey Surmach, Su Liying, the Moscow Bird Ringing Center as well as Daronja Trense, Christoph Weinrich, Martin Suanjak, Silas Wolf, Nadja Schäfer and Maria Sander.

Das Rätsel ist endlich gelöst! Endlich kennen wir die Herkunft des beringten Mandschurenkranichs, der vor einigen Wochen vom ABP-Team beobachet wurde (siehe hier). Der Vogel stand am 21. September 2015 zusammen mit seinem Partner und zwei Jungvögeln auf einem Feld im Muraviovka Park, nahe des Dorfes Duchovskoie. Der Ring war deutlich zu erkennen: "3C7".
Nun wissen wir, dass "3C7" im Khinganski Schutzgebiet beringt wurde, nur etwa 165 km östlich. Spannend ist aber vor allem das Beringungsdatum: "3C7" wurde am 14. Juli 1993 markiert - der Vogel ist nun also schon 22 Jahre alt! Damit ist er sicher einer der ältesten Mandschurenkraniche in freier Wildbahn. Vor mehr als zwei Jahrzehnten wurde er von Kiyoaki Ozaki aus Japan und Vladimir Andronov aus Russland beringt, gemeinsam mit seinem etwas leichteren Geschwister "3C8". Nun ist er ein Altvogel und hat offenbar im Muraviovka Park erfolgreich gebrütet. Es ist kaum zu glauben, dass der beringte Vogel in all den Jahren nie bemerkt wurde!
Die östliche Population des bedrohten Mandschurenkranichs nimmt rapide ab, wobei der Bestand im Muraviovka Park seit einigen Jahren stabil auf niedrigem Niveau ist, mit zwei bis vier Brutpaaren pro Jahr.

Vielen Dank an alle Beteiligten:
Sergei M. Smirenksi, Kiyoaki Ozaki, Mikhail Parilov, Jim Harris,  Rimma Andronova, Jiang Hongxing, Cao Lei, Sergey Surmach, Su Liying, die Beringungszentrale Moskau als auch Daronja Trense, Christoph Weinrich, Martin Suanjak, Silas Wolf, Nadja Schäfer und Maria Sander.
 

//Wieland

"3C7" foraging on a field near Duchovskoie © Silas Wolf
one of the chicks of  "3C7" © Silas Wolf

Monday, October 19, 2015

ABP 2015: Week 24

a woodpecker week! four species in one round... © Nadja Schäfer
The autumn season 2015 is over! Unfortunately we were only able to catch birds on two days during the last week. Indeed we captured less birds, but in comparison to the previous weeks we caught likewise the same number of species. On our last trapping day there were four species of woodpeckers in the mist-nets at the same time. Among this group were Grey-headed-, White-backed- and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker as well as the projects 3rd Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker. During our last excursion we observed many Pallas Reed Buntings, Naumann´s - and Dusky Thrushs in the Park. We saw some more White-backed and Grey-headed Woodpeckers as well as Eurasian Siskins, and one banded Rustic Bunting in the summer camp. Furthermore, the Pallas´s Rosefinches have arrived. All members of the team are back home now, but the Amur Bird Project will continue in spring 2016 and until then there will be some news on the blog. I want to thank everyone, who was helping this autumn. It was a great! Big thanks also to the staff of Muraviovka Park and our friends in Blago!


Die Herbstsaison 2015 ist nun vorbei! Leider konnten wir in der letzten Woche nur an zwei Tagen fangen. Wir fingen zwar wenig Vögel, dafür konnten wir im Vergleich zu den vorherigen Wochen eine ebenso relativ hohe Anzahl an Arten fangen. An unserem letzten Fangtag gingen uns vier Spechtarten zur gleichen Zeit ins Netz. Darunter auch wieder ein Grauscheitelspecht, der dritte Fang für das Amur Bird Project, sowie Grau-, Weißrücken- und Kleinspecht. Außerdem machten wir an unserem letzten Tag im Park noch eine Exkursion und beobachteten viele Pallasammer, Rostschwanz- und Rostflügeldrosseln im Park. Im Sommercamp sahen wir weitere Weißrücken- und Grauspecht sowie Erlenzeisige und eine beringte Waldammer. Außerdem sind nun auch die Rosengimpel angekommen. 
Inzwischen sind alle Mitglieder des Teams wieder Zuhause, aber das Amur Bird Project wird im nächsten Frühjahr wieder weitergeführt und bis dahin wird es auch noch einige Blogeinträge geben. Ein großes Dankeschön an alle Leute, die diesen Herbst so fleißig bei der Arbeit geholfen haben. Vielen Dank auch an das Team vom Muraviovka Park und unsere Freunde in Blago!

//Daronja
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, female © Martin Suanjak
Coal Tit © Nadja Schäfer
one of the last Rustic Buntings © Nadja Schäfer
Pallas´s Rosefinches © Martin Suanjak
one of the few species that will winter here: Eurasian Tree Sparrow © Martin Suanjak
Goodbye, Muraviovka Park! © Nadja Schäfer


Total traps, 12.-13.10.2015: 125 birds out of 31 species
Schwanzmeise Long-tailed Tit Ополовник Aegithalos caudatus 18
Feldsperling Eurasian Tree Sparrow Полевой воробей Passer montanus 15
Meisengimpel Long-tailed Rosefinch Урагус Uragus sibiricus 11
Blauschwanz Red-flanked Bluetail Синехвостка Tarsiger cyanurus 11
Bergbraunelle Siberian Accentor Сибирская завирушка Prunella montanella 11
Rostschwanzdrossel Naumann´s Thrush Дрозд Науманна Turdus naumanni 10
Kohlmeise Northern Great Tit Большая синица Parus [major] major 4
Rostflügeldrossel Dusky Thrush Бурый дрозд Turdus eunomus 4
Rosengimpel Pallas´s Rosefinch Сибирская чечевица Carpodacus roseus 4
Taigaschnäpper Taiga Flycatcher Восточная малая мухоловка Ficedula albicilla 3
Weidenmeise Willow Tit Пухляк Poecile montanus 3
Pallasammer Pallas´s Reed Bunting Полярная овсянка Emberiza pallasi 3
Weißrückenspecht White-backed Woodpecker Белоспинный дятел Dendrocopus leucotos 3
Grauspecht Grey-headed Woodpecker Седой дятел Picus canus 3
Karmingimpel Common Rosefinch Обыкновенная чечевица Carpodacus erythrinus 2
Waldammer Rustic Bunting Овсянка-ремез Emberiza rustica 2
Blaukehlchen Bluethroat Варакушка Luscinia svecica 2
Tannenmeise Coal Tit Московка Periparus ater 2
Wintergoldhähnchen Goldcrest Желтоголовый королек Regulus regulus 2
Gelbbrauen-Laubsänger Yellow-browed Warbler Пеночка-зарничка Phylloscopus inornatus 1
Sumpfmeise Marsh Tit Черноголовая гаичка Poecile palustris 1
Kleiber Eurasian Nuthatch Обыкновенный поползень Sitta europaea 1
Goldhähnchen-Laubsänger Pallas´s Leaf-warbler Корольковая пеночка Phylloscopus proregulus 1
Azurelster Asian Azure-winged Magpie Голубая сорока Cyanopica cyanus 1
Waldpieper Olive-backed Pipit Пятнистый конек Anthus hodgsoni 1
Zwergammer Little Bunting Овсянка-крошка Emberiza pusilla 1
Gelbkehlammer Elegant Bunting Желтогорлая овсянка Emberiza elegans 1
Kleinspecht Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Малый пестрый дятел Dryobates minor 1
Lasurmeise Azure Tit Князек Cyanistes cyanus 1
Waldbaumläufer Eurasian Treecreeper Обыкновенная пищуха Certhia familiaris 1
Grauscheitelspecht Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Большой острокрылый дятел Yungipicus canicapillus 1

Sunday, October 11, 2015

ABP 2015: Week 23

Probably season´s last Yellow-breasted Buntings © Martin Suanjak
This week we recorded another first-catch for the Amur Bird Project: a Common Teal. This species is regularly seen in the Park, and they are common guests on the lake in front of the station - but not in our mist-nets! Another rare guest flew in our nets, which has been ringed only once previously within the project: a Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker. At the same time a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker hung in the mist net, too. In this way, it was possible for us to make a very nice comparison between the two species. On the harvested fields around the station we observed large flocks of Rooks, Carrion Crows, Common Magpies and among them a few Large-billed Crows as well as Daurian Jackdaws.
On Saturday we took the opportunity to meet Russian students to talk about our work in the Park and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working as a volunteer.
Unfortunately Silas and Christoph had to leave us this week. Now, four people are left in our team.

In dieser Woche konnten wir einen weiteren Erstfang für das Amur Bird Project verzeichnen: eine Krickente. Diese Art wird häufig im Park beobachtet, Krickenten sind regelmäßige Gäste auf dem See vor der Station - aber nicht in unseren Netzen! Ein weiterer seltener Gast, der bis jetzt nur ein einziges Mal innerhalb des Projekts beringt wurde, flog uns ebenfalls ins Netz: ein Grauscheitelspecht. Zur selben Zeit hing auch ein Kleinspecht drin. Dadurch war es uns möglich, die beiden Arten sehr gut miteinander zu vergleichen. Außerdem beobachteten wir große Trupps von Saat-, Rabenkrähen und Elstern und in kleinen Zahlen Dickschnabelkrähen, sowie Elsterdohlen, die sich auf den abgeernteten Feldern sammeln und immer wieder über unsere Station fliegen.
Am Samstag nutzten wir die Möglichkeit uns noch einmal mit einigen russischen Studierenden zu treffen, um über unsere Arbeit im Park zu sprechen und über die Vor- und Nachteile der Arbeit als VolontärIn zu diskutieren.
Leider mussten uns diese Woche Silas und Christoph verlassen, sodass unser Team nur noch aus vier Leuten besteht.

//Daronja 
First Common Teal for the project © Nadja Schäfer
Lesser Spotted and Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker © Nadja Schäfer
Corvids on the field © Martin Suanjak
A late Japanese Reed Bunting © Silas Wolf
Invasion of Lady Bird Beetles © Martin Suanjak
Meeting our russian friends © Maria Sander
Total traps, 05.-11.10.2015: 471 birds out of 39 species
Schwanzmeise Long-tailed Tit Ополовник Aegithalos caudatus 100
Pallasammer Pallas´s Reed Bunting Полярная овсянка Emberiza pallasi 80
Blauschwanz Red-flanked Bluetail Синехвостка Tarsiger cyanurus 64
Meisengimpel Long-tailed Rosefinch Урагус Uragus sibiricus 29
Dunkellaubsänger Dusky Warbler Бурая пеночка Phylloscopus fuscatus 21
Kohlmeise Northern Great Tit Большая синица Parus [major] major 16
Lasurmeise Azure Tit Князек Cyanistes cyanus 16
Goldhähnchen-Laubsänger Pallas´s Leaf-warbler Корольковая пеночка Phylloscopus proregulus 15
Gelbbrauen-Laubsänger Yellow-browed Warbler Пеночка-зарничка Phylloscopus inornatus 13
Rostschwanzdrossel Naumann´s Thrush Дрозд Науманна Turdus naumanni 12
Sumpfmeise Marsh Tit Черноголовая гаичка Poecile palustris 12
Bergbraunelle Siberian Accentor Сибирская завирушка Prunella montanella 11
Zwergammer Little Bunting Овсянка-крошка Emberiza pusilla 9
Weidenmeise Willow Tit Пухляк Poecile montanus 9
Feldsperling Eurasian Tree Sparrow Полевой воробей Passer montanus 8
Waldammer Rustic Bunting Овсянка-ремез Emberiza rustica 5
Fichtenammer Pine Bunting Белошапочная овсянка Emberiza leucocephalos 5
Bergfink Brambling Юрок Fringilla montifringilla 4
Kleinspecht Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Малый пестрый дятел Dryobates minor 4
Waldbaumläufer Eurasian Treecreeper Обыкновенная пищуха Certhia familiaris 4
Waldpieper Olive-backed Pipit Пятнистый конек Anthus hodgsoni 3
Kleiber Eurasian Nuthatch Обыкновенный поползень Sitta europaea 3
Pazifikpieper Buff-bellied Pipit Американский конёк Anthus rubescens 3
Blaukehlchen Bluethroat Варакушка Luscinia svecica 3
Gelbbrauenammer Yellow-browed Bunting Желтобровая овсянка Emberiza chrysophrys 3
Taigaschnäpper Taiga Flycatcher Восточная малая мухоловка Ficedula albicilla 2
Maskenammer Black-faced Bunting Седоголовая овсянка Emberiza spodocephala 2
Eichelhäher Eurasian Jay Сойка Garrulus glandarius 2
Östliche Kohlmeise Eastern Great Tit Восточная синица Parus minor 2
Fahldrossel Pale Thrush Бледный дрозд Turdus pallidus 2
Rostflügeldrossel Dusky Thrush Бурый дрозд Turdus eunomus 1
Azurelster Asian Azure-winged Magpie Голубая сорока Cyanopica cyanus 1
Mugimakischnäpper Mugimaki Flycatcher Таежная мухоловка Ficedula mugimaki 1
Zaunkönig Winter Wren Крапивник Troglodytes troglodytes 1
Mandschurenammmer Japanese Reed Bunting Рыжешейная овсянка Emberiza yessoensis 1
Weidenammer Yellow-breasted Bunting Дубровник Emberiza aureola 1
Elster Common Magpie Сорока Pica pica 1
Grauscheitelspecht Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Большой острокрылый дятел Yungipicus canicapillus 1
Krickente Common Teal Чирок-свистунок Anas crecca crecca 1