All of our Whimbrels and Tattlers are now in Russia, some have reached
their breeding sites while others are still on the move.
Satellite tagged
Whimbrel 2017:
After all the perfect
demonstration of “site fidelity” by KU throughout its northward migration this
year, it might not be a surprise that KU has chosen the same breeding site as
last season. KU reached its
breeding ground on 1-Jun-18, the date of arrival is a week earlier than season
2017.
Table 1: A comparison
of KU’s northward migration in 2017 and 2018
2017
|
2018
|
|
Departure date from Australia
|
17-Apr
|
22-Apr
|
Arrival date at Southern China
|
23-Apr
|
26-Apr
|
No. of days in Southern China
|
11 (Fujian)
|
4 (Guangdong) +7
(Fujian)
|
Departure date from Southern China
|
4-May
|
9 May
|
Arrival date at Liaoning Province
|
8-May
|
13-May
|
No. of days in Liaoning Province
|
11
|
6
|
Departure date Liaoning Province
|
19-May
|
19-May
|
Arrival date at Breeding Ground
|
7-Jun
|
1-Jun
|
Fig 1: KU’s northward
migration track in 2017 and 2018.
After leaving Liaoning Province on 19-May, KU
stopped over for a short stay of 2 days in Heilongjiang Province before
crossing the China-Russia border on 25-May. From 4pm to 10pm on 25-May, it was
flying at a speed of nearly 60km/h.
In 2017, KU spent
more than 10 days around the mountain range area before deciding upon its
breeding site. This year, it headed straight to its breeding site after resting
for a day at the southern side of the mountain range.
It is hoped that KU
will soon settle to breed.
Fig 2: KU’s movement
around breeding site before start breeding in 2017 and 2018.
Third-year Whimbrel
LA, which is heading to its breeding ground for the first time in its life, is
still trying to decide upon a sutable breeding site. After leaving Panjin in
Liaoning Province on 24-May-18, it flew for 4 days for 2,790km to reach
northern Khabarovsk Krai in Russia. Since then it has migrated slowly by
stopping at 4 sites before reaching Chukotka this morning. Hopefully LA will
soon decide where it is going to breed.
Fig 3: LA’s migration
from China to Russia
Unfortunately, signal
from our third Whimbrel JX has ceased since 20-May in Heilongjiang. It could
not be determined whether this is due to breakdown of the tag or the death of
the bird.
It is known that
hunting in Russia during spring passage has resulted in the deaths of a number
of migratory shorebird each year. It was sad to know that satellite tagged
Whimbrel SJ from Broome this year was found dead from shooting. Satellite tags
were deployed on SJ and 4 other Whimbrels at Broome in February this year under
a collaboration project between Fudan University and AWSG. The body of SJ was
found on 30-May after signal transmission ceased on 27-May in Sakha Republic,
Russia. This story might only be the tip of an iceberg of the threats from
hunting that migratory shorebirds are facing. It is hope that the situation
would eventually improve through international cooperation, education and
advocacy work.
Photo 1: Whimbrel SJ
with satellite transmitter found dead on 30-May
As of 9-Jun-18:
Migration tracks of our Whimbrels:
Migration summary on our Whimbrels
Leg Flag
(track colour)
|
No. of days since transmitter deployment
|
No. of days since departing Australia
|
Distance travelled
|
LA (blue)
|
482 days
|
46 days
|
10,600 km
|
KU (yellow)
|
470 days
|
48 days
|
10,126 km
|
JX (pink)
|
421 days (transmission ceased on 20-May-18)
|
7,531 km
|
|
Satellite tagged Grey-tailed
Tattler 2018:
All 4 tattlers
proceeded to Russia in the last week of May.
The first tattlers to
set off is LBX which left the Fujian coast on 24-May after stopped over for 9
days. It then flew continuously for 6 days to reach an estuary in Khabarovsk
Krai in Russia. After resting for a day, it continued to fly north-east to
reach Magadan and apparently starting to breed.
Similarly, LBU, which
also stopped over in South-east coast of China in Zhejiang Province, departed 2
days later and flew >3200km to reach southern Sakha Republic. It then
continued flying north to arrive its breeding site on 5-Jun.
Fig 4: LBX’s and LBU’s migration to Russia
LDU departed North Vietnam a day later on 27-May. It has
taken an inland route to arrive Krasnoyarsk Krai on 3-Jun. After stopped over
at 2 locations in Krasnoyarsk Krai for a day each on 3-Jun and 7-Jun, it then
flew north to reach breeding site on 9-Jun.
LDN was the last
Tattler to depart for Russia. It left Guangxi Province on 30-May and reached
Sakha Republic on 3-Jun. It apparently is still flying to find its breeding
site on 9-Jun.
Fig 5: LDN’s and LDU’s
migration to Russia
As of 9-Jun-18:
Migration tracks of our Grey-tailed Tattlers:
Migration summary on our Grey-tailed Tattlers
Leg Flag
(track colour)
|
No. of days since transmitter deployment
|
No. of days since departing Australia
|
Distance travelled
|
LBU (green)
|
113 days
|
38 days
|
10,049 km
|
LBX (white)
|
45 days
|
9,791km
|
|
LDN (orange)
|
45 days
|
8,880 km
|
|
LDU (blue)
|
42 days
|
10,722 km
|
Katherine LEUNG 9
Jun 2018
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