Birds of western Siberia (1 Viewer)

[Homo sibiricus]

One day in middle of May i was searching for cranes in approx. 15 km from Academ town. On a meadow with little fresh grass i had see a big brown bird. Soon it raised and flew on an aspen tree and start to eat a catkins. On russian the word for capercaillie means "deaf" because when male is leking it can't hear hunters. But for female there is another word.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Did you ever seen how honey buzzards robs the bees? This kid will show you as without Smith & Wesson .45 one can to hitch a jackpot.
With my wife we have take these photos and little movie right in botanical garden of Akademgorodok one Sunday when many peoples walking dawn the path.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLijep1eN7w

 

[Scridifer]

A wonderful series of photos!

Chris

 

[SJC]

Great photos of Honey Buzzard behavior. Well done!

 

[Homo sibiricus]

I'm glad you liked this bird too! On photos above you see a young bird: all is brown and iris is dark. Adults have yellow color of iris. But in Western Siberia there is anoter species of honey buzzard - oriental H.B. The border between areas of these species is located somwhere in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions. Oriental H.B. is bigger, males have very nice dark red iris (youngs and females have yellow one). There is no dark stain under wing and 6 but not 5 "fingers" when glides. I have seen this bird near Novokuznetsk - big city in Kuzbass (Kemerovo) region and a pair of birds on a border between Kuzbass and Krasnoyarskiy kray.

 

[viator]

A wonderful collection of photos and some great birds... thanks for sharing

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Thank you!
Capercaillie is careful bird of pine forests. In early spring we can detect the wintering presence of capercaillies when finds dungs looking as compressed needles.
Also in botanical garden of Academgorodok one can see and hear the hazel grouse.
This wintering bird (photo 1) was photographed by my wife here.
Research fellow of anti-tick-borne diseases biostation has finded the nest of hazel grouse and has show it to us. We tooke these photos from a dostance so close as 30-40 cm!
We have observed the nest and we know that nestlings have successfully hatched.

 

[albatross02]

Excellent pictures !
I was not in Sibiria for 30 years.
It is time to visit Sibiria again.

Best regards
Dieter

 

[Homo sibiricus]

You welcome!
In Novosibirsk nests several raptors species. There are many black kites nesting in suburbs, in botanical garden, in forests within city borders. Also there is at least one nesting pair of WTE. WTE nestings at least 8 yeasrs on a foreland between Ob' river and approaching channel. In this summer on a balcony roof of one of new 18-floor houses pair of peregrine falcons have successfully brood one nestling. Last years population level of peregrine falcons in Siberia increases. In 2017 we have find first case of nesting peregrine falcons on a tree in Siberia. In this autumn we have begin to make artificial nesting platforms for this falcon. Another nesting species of Novosibirsk and botanical garden are very common sparrowhawks, kestrels and hobbyes, also there are common buzzards, honey buzzards. Around the airport marsh harriers nesting. And on a fieds and meadows around Novosibirsk hen harrier is very common.
On a photos you can see nests of peregrine falcons - first clutch on a tree in Siberia (old nest of black kite) and common nest in niche on rock (summer 2017). Also you can see first bird, nestings on a building in Novosibirsk (summer 2018). And another bird nestings on a rock about 50 km eastern from Novosibirsk.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

This is the first peregrinus borned in Novosibirsk city.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Photos of nest of WTE i wrote about. In winter there are big area of clear water (russian word "polynya") in city on Ob' river. This place attracts many wintering WTE and hundreds of mergansers too. WTE begun to spread around Novosibirsk from northern part of Ob' basin in XXI century.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Besides big and huge raptors there are cagy little birds. Some of these live in the places difficult to approach. One day we have find the nest of one of those birds in a little swamp close to Novosibirsk airport (Tolmachevo). But we wasn't clearly sure what these bird was. It certainly was a crake but Baillon's or little one? I decided to establish my Nikon D5300 on a tripod and shoot the nest with wi-fi. I thougth that i will sitting on a shore with a cap of tea and shoot when the bird come to the nest. It was mistake. Wi-fi works only for 5 may be 6 meters and camera couldn't show me live view on my phone. So, blinded without live view, stay knee-deep in a swamp i shooting the nest and can't make out is there bird came on a nest or not. After half an hour of photografy attempts with a periodic wi-fi disconnect, i was driven away by the approaching thunderstorm. But later, when i was browsing Nikon's memory i have saw these two photos - the Baillon's crake going to the nest and sitting on a clutch.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

This year, the autumn has delayed, but meteorologists have already promised the first snowfall. Soon, in December or in January i will be able to take such photos. These i have take in January in this year when temperature dropped below -30 Celsius. These trees grows about 200 m from institution i work, right on a main street of Akademgorodok. It is very hard job when temperature is so cool as 30-40 Celsius degrees below the zero. Only 20-30 minutes and you want only one thing - running home and drink hot tea as soon as possible.

 

[Iceberg slim]

Fabulous and informative, great photos to, again echo what an earlier contributor put, the fascination with this wild eastern place is resonates with a lot of UK Birders

 

[ekopa]

The dead branch of the forum became superinteresting
Great pics and stories!
Owls variety is amazing. I visit Krasnoyarsk region (just next to Novosibirsk) a couple of times every year, but has never seen so many owls.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Thank you!
I am disappointed just a little that so few people seeing this topic, because i want to tell about Siberia to many birdwatchers. But i need to continue. You say about Krasnoyarsk region. This is very big territory from polar North to steppes of Khakassia in basin of great Siberian river the Enisey. We need drive the car almost all the day to reach one of my lovest places in Siberia - south of Krasnoyarsk region - Republic of Khakassia. Before 1991 it was a part of Krasnoyarsk region but now it is separate part of Russia. The southern and western borders of this region are located in high mountains. The Western Sayan Range on the South and the Kuznetsk Alatau Ridge in the West. When we go to Khakassia from Novosibirsk we need or to go around Kuznetsk Alatau Ridge from North. Or, if the car allows it, and there is a summer floating bridge over the Tom River - to go around the Kuznetsk Alatau Range from the south between this ridge and the Gornaya Shoriya province and cross the Abakan Range.
After a day's journey, we will get to the hilly plains of Khakassia. It is wonderfull country with big solt lakes, steppes and very old hills, cuestas, many and many ancient graves and mounds and menhirs and eagles in sky.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Eagles like imperial ones from fotos above or steppe like these:

 

[Homo sibiricus]

These nests of IE and SE we have found on a range less then 3km one from another. In the year 2016 and 2017 nestings of imperial eagle was successful, but steppe eagle is disturbed by shepherds and was successful in 2016 only. It is a problem of this species all over the world. In these year we wasn't in Khakassia because of our trip to Altay.
The couple from the last photo caught the poor suslik in front of his hole and were accidentally worried about the appearance of our car. We are so sorry to break their dinner.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

So that you better imagine Khakassia, I will show you some photos with typical landscapes of this part of Russia.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

And, of course, you can see golden eagles in Khakassia. In the photo, an adult female golden eagle plays with a young male. She imitated the attack and forced him dive hundreds of meters down. I think adult bird just show that hunting area is busy.