Rare waterbirds observed during spring inventory
While Lithuania awaits returning migratory birds from their wintering grounds in spring, our ornithologists were out in the Baltic Sea surveying waterbirds wintering here and now on their way to the North. Earlier in March a project team led by dr. Mindaugas Dagys of the Institute of Ecology of Nature Research Centre returned from the fieldwork where they conducted ship-based surveys targeting wintering waterbird species.
Most of the birds recorded during the survey vere Alcids – Razorbill, Guillemot and much rarer in Lithuanian waters Black Guillemot
During the surveys that took place on March 6th, 7th and 12th researchers visited all three project areas, including the least researched Klaipeda Bank. “Our focus was on auks and sea ducks in this area, mainly based on the existing data form other countries, indicating that these species tend to spread further from coastal waters where they are more abundant. But we observed just few Long-tailed Ducks this time,” – dr. Dagys explains. The total number of birds observed in this area was the lowest of all three, predominantly Razorbills and gulls.
Meanwhile the situation in the remaining two areas differs. At Sambian Plateau near Russian border significant number of Razorbills, Long-tailed Ducks, and few Velvet Scoters as well as Guillemots were recorded. Even higher diversity was observed in Klaipeda-Venspils Plateau with Guillemots, Razorbills, a few Long-tailed Ducks, Velvet Scoters and several Common Scoters, loons.
Two more similar field trips are planned this spring with an aim to investigate species’ composition, abundance and distribution of migrating and wintering waterbirds.
Comprehensive analysis of the collected data will contribute to conservation of marine areas that are important for birds.
Most of the birds recorded during the survey vere Alcids – Razorbill, Guillemot and much rarer in Lithuanian waters Black Guillemot.
During the surveys that took place on March 6th, 7th and 12th researchers visited all three project areas, including the least researched Klaipeda Bank. “Our focus was on auks and sea ducks in this area, mainly based on the existing data form other countries, indicating that these species tend to spread further from coastal waters where they are more abundant. But we observed just few Long-tailed Ducks this time,” – dr. Dagys explains. The total number of birds observed in this area was the lowest of all three, predominantly Razorbills and gulls.
Meanwhile the situation in the remaining two areas differs. At Sambian Plateau near Russian border significant number of Razorbills, Long-tailed Ducks, and few Velvet Scoters as well as Guillemots were recorded. Even higher diversity was observed in Klaipeda-Venspils Plateau with Guillemots, Razorbills, a few Long-tailed Ducks, Velvet Scoters and several Common Scoters, loons.
Two more similar field trips are planned this spring with an aim to investigate species’ composition, abundance and distribution of migrating and wintering waterbirds.
Comprehensive analysis of the collected data will contribute to conservation of marine areas that are important for birds.
This research is part of the European Union-funded LIFE+ project, which is aimed at marine conservation in Lithuania.
For more please visit: corpi.ku.lt/denoflit/
