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Russia South Russia

Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta ©Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

For the purposes of setting out birding information we have divied Russia into a number of regions - South Russia consists of the Republics of Kalmykia and the 'Krays' of Krasnodar and Stavropol and the 'Oblasts' of Rostove, Volgograd, Astrakhan and Saratov.

The spacious valleys of South Russia can give satisfaction to the most fastidious birdwatchers and travelers. Here you can enjoy the Russian steppes, which are most attractive in spring. At this time they looks like an unbroken carpet of flowers.

The largest and most beautiful European river – the Volga – flows through the region. It is a draw for a number of waterfowls and waterside birds. Herons, Ducks and Gulls all breed on reed-covered river channels. Pelicans can be found on the lakes near the Caspian Sea Shore. The Steppe avifauna is, of course, different. Here you can find such interesting species as Steppe Eagle, Serpent Eagle, Demoiselle Crane and Little Bustard.

top sites

Manych-Gudilo Lake

This lake is interesting because of its water, which is saline rather then fresh. The most important areas for birds are the lake islands. Numerous colonies of Slender-Billed Gull, Black-winged Stilt and Pratincole can be found here. Also it’s easy to observe other water loving species around the islands, such as Herring Gull, Common Tern, Gull-billed Tern, White Heron, Glossy Ibis and so on. Moreover, Manych-Gudilo Lake serves as the breeding site of colonial waterbirds. Among then the most attractive are White and Dalmatin Pelicans and Pied Avocet. The lake is situated along the largest migration airway, which connects West Siberia, Taimyr with the Middle East and North-West Africa. This lake is one of the largest stopover points of migrating Geese. For example, more than 30% of the world population of Red-breasted Geese stops over every year and it’s a really unforgettable sight.

Syniy Syrt

If you are interested in steppe avifauna then this site is especially for you. This is the region of unbroken steep valleys covered by European feather-grass and other beautiful plants. And, without any doubt, you will enjoy meeting up with Steppe Eagles, Serpent Eagles, Demoiselle Cranes, Little Bustards and Ruddy Shelduck.

Tcherebayevskaya Floodplain

This site includes a part of the Volgogrsdskoe reservoir shoreline lined with reeds, cattail and willow bushes, and some sand islands. You can find numerous colonies of White Egret. Some other unusual bird species are present, for example, Red-necked Grebe, Mute Swan, Water Rail, Terek Sandpiper and White-tailed Eagle which also breed here. In summer, mostly during July and August, big gatherings (more than 200 birds) of Great Black-headed Gulls can be found on the shoals. In the autumn migration season a large diversity of Ducks arrive, the largest in number of them are Mallard, Golden-eye, Scaup and Tufted Duck.

Volgo-Achtubinskay Floodplain

The system of river channels, lakes and streams form different wetland complexes. The most common of these are floodplain meadows, oak forests and river valley mixed forests. These exceptional landscapes represent the last naturally retained part of the Volga-river valley. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the Volgo-Achtubinskay Floodplain. Among them there are such interesting birds as Purple Heron, Pond Heron, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, White-eyed Duck, White-headed Duck, Osprey, Serpent Eagle, Avocet, Shelduck, Caspian Tern, Thickknee and Marsh Sandpiper. The collection of passerine birds is also rich, and maybe the most unusual of them is Penduline tit.

contributor

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

useful reading

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

clubs

RBCU Branch - Saratov

http://home.overta.ru/users/rbcusb/org/rbcuen.html
http://home.overta.ru/users/rbcusb/ RBCU–SB was founded in 1994. It has as a major objective the protection of the Great Bustard and Little Bustard. It has 81 members. The Saratov oblast contains the largest population (approximately 7,000 birds) in Russia of the Great Bustard (Drofa in Russian). Russia`s population of the Great Bustard is the second largest in the world after Spain. ul. Strelkovoy divizii 53, 6/9, 5th floor 410028 Saratov E-mail: alex@ef.saratov.su; voc@voca.saratov.su; andre@ef.saratov.su Contact: Andrei Varlamov, member.

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!

2001 [August] - Jeff Gordon - Kislovodsk, land of raptors

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/russia/russia1/kislovodsk.htm
Kislovodsk is one of three Spa towns located in the northern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia. I vacationed there during the period 21st July until the 4th August 2001. It is an area recently added to the OSME`s sphere of interest...

2006 [June] - Paul Mollatt - Volga Delta Biosphere Reserve

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/russia/russia-2/volga-june-2006.htm
...The people from the Volga Delta biosphere reserve came round to my hotel in Astrakhan, soon informed me of what was possible to visit and arranged a visit of 3 nights and 4 days. The following day they took me down to the biosphere reserve (2 hours, across two ferries) with an American tourist...

tour operators

Ecological Travel Center - Migrating birds of Volga delta

http://www.ecotravel.ru/eng/tours/1/2/
The Volga delta is the largest in Europe and it occupies a triangle of 100 (length) x 200 (wide) km. A lot of different landscapes can be found when on the way from Astrakhan through the delta to the Caspian Sea. Extensive pastures are crisscrossed by broad waterways and fast running streams, which turn into well developed floodplain forests with huge amounts of willows, poplars and alders. Typical birds of the area are: Great Black-headed Gull, White-tailed Eagle, Caspian Tern, Dalmatian Pelican, Penduline Tit, Night Heron and Cetti's Warbler...

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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