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Russia Kamchatka

Merlin Falco columbarius ©Nigel Blake http://www.nigelblake.co.uk/

The Kamchatka Peninsular consists of the 'Oblast' of Kamchatka and the Autonomous 'Okrog' of Koryakia.

Kamchatsky peninsula is the land of volcanoes and geysers. Most of the region is occupied by light Erman’s birch and larch forests. Mountainsides are covered with cedar elfin woods and lichens. It’s possible to find high-grass meadows. The western part of peninsula is typical tundra.

Along the entire region runs the Sredinny mountain ridge. Snow occupies its peaks throughout the year. Its sea-shore serves as a breeding site for birds, which adapt themselves to hard conditions, such as Pelagic Cormorant and Steller’s Sea Eagle. Rocky banks and numerous islands are rookeries, where it’s possible to find Ancient Auks, Puffins, Sooty Guillemots and other interesting species.

top sites

Komandorskie Islands

This site includes four large islands, more than 60 small islands and the water adjacent to them. Large islands, such as Medny and Beringa, are hilly with lichens tundra on the top. Along rivers and streams there are grasslands and bushes. Small islands have rookeries. You can see here such birds as Aleutian Tern, Crested Auk, Whiskered Auk, Puffin, Guillemot, Common Guillemot, Leach’s Petrel, Fork-tailed Petrel, Pelagic Cormorant, Red-faced Cormorant and Kittiwake.

Kronotsky Reserve

The most attractive sites for birdwatcher are the rookeries. The latest investigations has discovered 69 colonies of sea birds, which include nine species: Slaty-Backed Gull, Puffin, Pelagic Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot, Horned Puffin, Common Guillemot, Thick-billed Guillemot, Glaucous Gull and Fulmar. The northern part of the reserve is tundra zone. Not only sea birds live here, but also Steller’s Sea Eagles, Peregrines, Merlins, Tundra Grouse and Siberian Ground-linnet Finches make their nests on the rocks. Moreover, it should be noted, that most of the passerines on the peninsula are endemic races. The most common species of the mountain forests and bushes are Rustic Bunting, Indian Tree Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Ruby-throat and Scarlet Grosbeak. It’s possible here to also see Chinese Greenfinch and special Pallid Thrush. Along the rivers you can find Harlequin Duck, Golden-eye, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Scaup, Siberian Gray-rumped Sandpiper, White & Grey Wagtails.

contributor

Olga Batova
Ornithologist
(Ecological Travel Center - Moscow)
info@ecotravel.ru
http://www.ecotravel.ru

useful reading

A Field Guide to Birds of Russia and Adjacent Territories

V. Flint, R. Boehme, Y. Kostin, A. Kuznetsov Paperback - 440 pages (December 1983) Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691024308
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to Watch Birds in Europe & Russia

Nigel Wheatly Paperback - 416 pages (28 April, 2000) Christopher Helm
ISBN: 0713648708
Buy this book from NHBS.com

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

2003 [June] Tony Pym & Simon Boyes

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/Ornitholidays/ringoffire.htm
...Kamchatka, The Aleutians, The Pribilofs and Alaska...

2006 [October] - Birding wonderland - Commanders & Kamchatka

http://www.ecotravel.ru/eng/tours/1/58/
Kamchatka and Commander's islands, situated on the north-east from the peninsula in the Pacific, are recognised as one of the most exciting regions of Russia. Its nature and wildlife are astonishing. Here, over 390 bird species are registered, around 800 plant species and over 200 seaweeds species. There are approximately 400 fish species in the seas of the region...

tour operators

Ecological Travel Centre - Kamchatka Birding Tour

Ouzel Expeditions - Kamchatka Birding Tour

http://www.ouzel.com/birdtour.htm
Fly from Anchorage to Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka for our 8 day birding and Russian cultural experience. You will be accompanied by your host Sharon Allred. She has birded in Russia many times in 13 years...

mailing lists

Birds in Russia

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BirdsinRussia/
To post to list:BirdsinRussia@yahoogroups.com
List contact:BirdsinRussia-owner@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to list:BirdsinRussia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Information and discussion list on all aspects of biology, ecology, behaviour, number, distribution, migrations and conservation etc. of all bird species of Eastern Europe and Northern Asia (within the borders of the ex-USSR). Founder Jevgeni Shergalin.

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