Eurasian Wren - Status in NW Russian / Finland (1 Viewer)

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Sep 28, 2018

• #1

Eurasian Wren - Status in NW Russia / Finland

On a walk today, I had my first sighting of Eurasian Wren here in St Petersburg in five years having heard it on just one previous occasion.

We have an old book 'Birds of the Leningrad region and adjacent areas' which gives the status as common summer visitor. Has something changed, how often do you guys in Finland see the species?

The same books states that Three-toed Woodpecker is the commonest Woodpecker in the region, it is not, not even close these days.

 

McMadd

You should see the other bloke...

• Sep 28, 2018

• #2

Just checked Tiira, our recording system, data for full year 2017 and there are records throughout the year including c.200 records in January for the whole of Suomi

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Sep 28, 2018

• #3

Thanks Madd, is it a bird you see often?

My wife is always out with her camera and has never seen one here.

 

Last edited: Sep 28, 2018

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Sep 29, 2018

• #4

Let me extend the question, haw many of those who've done a Finnish birding holiday, saw Eurasian Wren?

 

J

jalid

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2018

• #5

It is a quite common species in the southern part of Finland. English summary of the breeding bird atlas:

http://atlas3.lintuatlas.fi/results/species/wren

But it lives in forests, and is not an abundant garden bird like in UK. And it is migratory, with only single birds trying to winter yearly.

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Sep 29, 2018

• #6

Thanks Jalid,
seeing the description as 'common', can't believe I've only had the two contacts in five years but as you say, it was pretty dense forest where I've had it so habitat is a bit different to the UK where I regularly have one singing outside my kitchen window as many people do.

 

McMadd

You should see the other bloke...

• Sep 29, 2018

• #7

jalid said:

And it is migratory, with only single birds trying to winter yearly.

Click to expand...

This is what intrigues me...as said...200 individual entries for January 2017 in Tiira...I'm curious enough to slap them into excel and see how many individual birds were looking at here...

More anon

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• Oct 4, 2018

• #8

Just to the southwest, Estonia is pretty much 100% Wren territory according to observation.org.
There is only one observation from St Petersburg (at the Kirov Central Park in 2015), but very few people using observation.org visit Russia. Similar for ebird: only one sighting at Lisiy Nos (2005) and one west of Gatchina (2015). Common enough in Finland though.

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Oct 4, 2018

• #9

Xenospiza said:

Just to the southwest, Estonia is pretty much 100% Wren territory according to observation.org.
There is only one observation from St Petersburg (at the Kirov Central Park in 2015), but very few people using observation.org visit Russia. Similar for ebird: only one sighting at Lisiy Nos (2005) and one west of Gatchina (2015). Common enough in Finland though.

Click to expand...

Many thanks, it's genuinely uncommon in N St Petersburg it seems.

 

Jos Stratford

Eastern Exile

Staff member

• Oct 4, 2018

• #10

Maybe related to the habitat you are birding in around St Petersburg? Common/moderately common in summer across all Baltic States in preferred habitats, far less so in winter. Additionally, in Lithuania at least, many more migrate though in autumn, these including Russian birds too.

I don't think much can be read into the lack of Russian records on ebird etc - would likely reflect coverage more than true status.

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Oct 4, 2018

• #11

Jos Stratford said:

Maybe related to the habitat you are birding in around St Petersburg? Common/moderately common in summer across all Baltic States in preferred habitats, far less so in winter. Additionally, in Lithuania at least, many more migrate though in autumn, these including Russian birds too.

I don't think much can be read into the lack of Russian records on ebird etc - would likely reflect coverage more than true status.

Click to expand...

Possibly and definitely.

I think my patch is probably, generally too wet but I visit other areas where I'd expect them if they were around.