Das Satellitentelefon im Forschungscamp ermöglicht es, kurze Mitteilungen abzuschicken (SMS-Service). Hier können Sie die kurzen Berichte von der Gänseinsel lesen. Dies ist nur auf Englisch möglich. Wir bitten dafür um Entschuldigung.

Via satellite phone it`s possible to use SMS service and send some short information about the expedition home. Please read our weblogg:

Webblogg Kolguev 2007

18-08-2007 All expedition participants left Naryan-Mar and took the plane back to St. Petersburg.

17-08-2007 Stormy and rainy night and thunderstorm in the morning. No satellite telephone connection. Weather was getting better during the day. Around three o clock all of the sudden the helicopter appeared! We had a wonderful flight over the tundra and picked up the Tobseda team. In the evening party at Naryan-Mar with both expedition teams.

16-08-200 We packed all tents in the morning and waited for the helicopter… but it did not come! There was too much fog in Tobseda and in Bugrino. In the evening we fortunately had connection via the satellite telephone and found out, that the helicopter would really not come today!nSo we build up one tent again.

15-08-2007 We packed all stuff and took off the first tents. A big herd of reindeers came very close to the camp. In the evening we had a nice farewell party and we even had cake! It was getting foggy late at night…

14-08-2007 Starting to pack the first equipment and finishing with all data input. Alena finished behaviour observations today.

13-08-2007 Alena continued with behaviour observations. The rest of the team was checking Pechanka upstream and lakes on tundra for moulting geese and broods. Big herds of reindeers return to the surroundings of the camp and are seen everywhere on the tundra again. Pechanka was crossable again.

12-08-2007 Checking some lakes and Ambarny for moulting geese and broods.

11-08-2007 Stormy and rainy night. Three tents in the camp were damaged and dramatically fixed in the middle of the night. Our living tent type "Brest" (factory slogan “No speed limit”) actually had its limit at 22km per hour… Elle returned in early morning totally wet from "Helmuts Lake". During the day we fixed our tents and tried to dry. Still stormy and rain showers. Water table of Pechanka and Camp Creek was as high as in June after snow melt!

10-08-2007 The whole day fog or rain and strong wind in the afternoon. All stayed at camp.

09-08-2007 Elle left in the morning with tent to spend some days at Helmuts lake for behaviour observations. Alex tried to catch geese on Paradise lake. Nicole checked Pechanka downstream: only few broods and less then hundred moulting Barnacle Geese, White-fronted Geese and Bean Geese left. Alena continued with behaviour observations. Jochen went to Nenets village and Glaucous Gull lake trying to catch chick for ringing.

08-08-2007 Last White-fronted Goose catching on Camp Creek Lake: 2 adults and 6 chicks. By the way, it is getting dark again during night (end of midnight sun) so we started to use candles! Very romantic!

07-08-2007 Still rainy in the morning. Jochen and Nicole returned in early afternoon to camp. Small groups of reindeers were seen everywhere in the Tundra.

06-08-2007 Elle and Alex returned to camp, Jochen and Nicole spend the morning at the sea, saw Harbour porpoises and then returned half way from coast up to Turtle Mountain. Both teams were totally wet from rain… Rest stayed in camp due to bad weather.

05-08-2007 Alex and Elle continued along Pechanka, Lower Igimka-tarka, Chasovnja Denzja, upper Elgabtarka and Muikoseda. Igor returned back to camp and checked nests and plots on his way while Jochen and Nicole went along the west corridor and arrived at the coast late evening in dense fog. Alena continued with behaviour observations.

04-08-2007 Two expedition teams started early in the morning: Alex and Elle went Pechanka downstream to check lakes for east from Iginkaburka moulting geese. Jochen, Igor and Nicole started to the Wets coast to check plots and west corridor for hatching success. Alena continued with behaviour observations.

03-08-2007 Alena continued with behaviour observations of WFG at Mountain lake. Rest prepared for trips.

02-0-2007 2 Bean Geese caught on third lake. We moved the nest again and tried to catch moulting Barnacle Geese but were not successful to chase them with canoe from the lake down to the creek into the nets. First flyable Barnacle Goose (flock of 50 birds in glacial lakes).

01-08-2007 Resting at campand data input. Rain and storm in the afternoon, so cinema season at camp was opened, starting with “Charly and the chocolate factory” while having dried fish from Tobseda and our last bottles of beer.

31-07-2007 Second successful catch at second catching lake: 3 adult WFG and 11 chicks. We moved the net to a third lake and caught 26 Bean Geese and 16 White-fronted Geese. Again we returned to camp after sunrise…

30-07-2007 Jochen, Igor and Nicole ringed Rough-legged Buzzard and Peregrine Falcon chicks. Alena continued with behaviour observations of WFG at Mountain lake.

29-07-2007 As third catching at our catching lake was also unsuccessful we moved the net to a second lake and finally succeeded to catch 1 Barnacle Goose, 1 Greylag Goose, 8 White-fronted Geese and 9 Bean Geese (all moulting adults) which were colour and metal ringed, measured nad sampled for avian flue and further diseases. Black neckband GPU on WFG on glacial lakes. Long night and back to camp around 3:30h.

28-07-2007 We tried again to catch geese on the same lake but the lake was empty. So we looked for the geese in the surroundings and tried to chase them to our catching lake. Flue is taking over in the camp: in the evening almost everyone is ill by now… (it might have come from the mainland…)

27-07-2007 Wus was found at its place (not mated with API 4), Now the plan is to catch Barnacle geese and nonbreeders. Seen Dutch neckband and found metall ring at a fox den.
First goose catching with nests on glacial lakes. Unfortunately unsuccessfully. The geese might have seen us while were building up the net.

26-07-2007 Alex, Alena and Elle found Wus ant Wus lake in a flook of 100 White-fronts, 20 Beans and 20 Barnacle Geese. They returned to the camp late in the evening. Igor, Jochen and Nicole counted moulting geese and broods along Ambarny, Krivoi and Pechanka downstream (on Pechanka only a few White-fronts and Bean Geese but 2780 moulting Barnacle Geese in big flocks up to more than 1000 birds).

25-07-2007 Alex, Alena and Elle arrived at the coast and found on their way one metal legring (Vogeltrekstation Arnhem 7.113.647) on a dead White-fronted Goose lying not far from a fox den and read black neckband XPA of a White-fronted Goose on a lake in a flock of 300 birds. Rest stayed at the camp due to bad weather.

24-07-2007 In the morning one bluethroat caught with mist nets at the camp and ringed. Alex, Alona and Elle left for a 3-days trip to Wus lake to find Wus. Jochen and Nicole counted moulting geese and broods on Pechanka upstream (A. albifrons: 175 moulting geese, 24 broods, A. fabalis: 39 moulting geese, 2 broods, B. leucopsis: 1935 moulting geese, 33 broods) and ringed first buzzard chicks.

22-07-2007 Nest checking for hatching success at glacial lakes (Alex and Nicole), Pechanka downstream (Alena), around Glaucous Gulls lake and Nenets village (Elle and Jochen) and Helmut’s lake (Igor). Igor met Nenets people with sledges.

21-07-2007 Rainy and foggy. We started to check nests and plots close to the camp for hatching success.

20-07-2007 Rainy day. In the afternoon we caught the last female goose on the nest on Nenet’s slope. In total we caught 6 geese on the nests this season. Team ist planing to make excursion to have a look for PTT bird Wus.

19-07-2007We were waiting for the helicopter the whole day as there where some problems in Naryan-Mar…Finally it arrived in the afternoon and Jari left the camp and in return Jochen Dierschke joined the team for the third period. The Tobseda-Team sent us dried and fresh fish from the sea as a present! After a nice Welcome-party first excursion for the new team member: checking nests around the camp for possible catching the next day.

17-07-2007 Team is waiting for the helicopter, now. Jari will leave Kolguev and Jochen Dierschke will come to help in the ringing activities of moulting catches. Altogether 5 females were marked so far. All over the tundra a lot of broods were seen.

14-07-2007 Three more Whitefronts were neckbanded during the last two days. One of them had a Dutch metall ring before (VEG black with Arnhem 7.111.838, guarding 4 chicks). Team saw TSU black with mate and one gosling in tundra. Albert returned to Bulgrino on 13-07.

12-07-2007 Albert, a friend from last year, came by feet from Bulgrino to visit the team in the camp.

10-07-2007 Two more geese were successfully caught and banded with VEC black and VEE black.

06-07-2007 Elya and Alexander came back from the west coast tour. They made a corridor count there to estimate the breeding density in the west part of Kolguev. They found 10nest / km² on average. Furthermore they found a lot of Barnacle Geese at the west coast. Before this specialists thought this species would not breed there so far. They found another nest of Peregrine Falcon, but this was without colony of Barnacles. But Beans used the protection of raptor there.

05-07-2007 Sunny and warm weather today, fortunatly only some mosquitoes. Jari found 50. species today. Some excursions have been done to find Trinus in the area, but no success so far.
Moulting migration of geese stopped today.
We`re doing behavioural studies on incubation and brood-rearing goose pairs every day now. During some days we made 24h observations. It`s interesting work and fun, too. Jari documents lots of the work with his film camera. Elya and Alex still on excursion to west coast.

04-07-2007 Sunny morning on Kolguev! The fine weather lowers the water level in Pechanka river more and more. Small gravel island appeared so far. On Pechanka we saw the first goslings of Whitefronted Geese swimming in families.
Moulting migration of non-breeders started. We counted 500 Whitefronts, 100 Barnacles and 60 Beans migrating eastwards.

03-07-2007 This morning rain, in the evening fog again, 8°C. Alexander and Elya left for investigation tour to the west coast of Kolguev. We saw a new species for Kolguev: Two-barred Crossbill (<i>Loxia leucoptera</i>). This species wasn`t reported on the island before.

02-07-2007 In four nests of Whitefronts chicks successfully hatched so far. Also one of the Bean Goose clutches. During our studies by telescope we saw an Arctic Skua catching one of the chicks. Unfortunatly nest of banded Whitefronts was predated.
Petr Glazov left camp today to return to Bulgrino by feet.
We found 86 nests of Barnacle Goose in four colonies. First chicks hatched there today. Observations of brood rearing behaviour started today at one of the colonies settle in protection of a Peregrine Falcon and the colony without any raptor.

01-07-2007 Today cold and rainy, so we made datawork in camp. By calculating all 328 nests of Whitefronted Geese we estimating an average in hatching date of 9-7-07. We found 39 nests of Bean Geese. 1st Willow Grouse chicks hatched.

30-6-2006 Summer on Kolguev! +20°C and first mosquitoes were observed - in larger numbers. It`s time to wear huts. Today camp day with computerwork and some preparation for more ringing work in nesting geese.
Alexander and Igor back from Lower Pechanka. They found very different situation. The whole area is very wet, breeding density of geese very low. They also investigated Barnacle colony and found mixed pair of Ross' Snow Goose and Barnacle back on same place. Old PTT of satellite bird couldn`t be found, because the complete area is still flooded at the moment.

29-6-2007 Petr Glazov read three neckbands during nestcontrolls: G09 lime with male G08 on left back plateau and newly ringed male VEB black nesting downstream of Pechanka.
Nicole reported "weather fine, today I walked in shorts and t-shirt". They visited colony of Barnacle geese in a steep bluff of Pechanka river and found 25 nests. Rendeers walked along the colony and came to nests up to 1,5m before Barnacles chased them away. Also researches came close to the breeding birds: 5m.

28-6-2007 Weather very nice in the morning. Petr and Elya investigated 4th plot in a dry lichen bog and found 14 nests. Nicole and Jari went to Barnacle Goose colony near 2nd rough-legged Buzzard nest, - only 3 nests. They started field trip with t-shirt, but in the afternoon weather changed to a thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rain. Clowd-Berries flowering now, first mosquito-bites.

27-6-2007 A pairs of Whitefronts made a nest 15m away from the camp. The incubating female let us come up to just 1m distance.
Elya was able to touch an incubation Willow Grouse female in the camp area.
PhD student Nicole Feige from Germany send some more informations: "I`m not cold, but I`m wearing all clothes I have. Today first goslings hatched, but the nest near toilet was predated. Here is light all the days, that`s quite comfortable. We`re sleeping up to 10 in the morning, but we`re on tour till 23 o`clock. The wind is annoying, strange and very noisy with the tents. So I`m sleeping most of the time with Oropax. But if there is no wind, we`ll miss it! Today I got a sunburn the first time. Today 12°C and I`m still drying my things from the wet 23.6. Everywhere rendeers! And they`re coming very close to us."

26-6-2007 Today maximal temperature of +18°C and few wind! sunny weather and the snow is melting enormously. So it`s impossible to cross tributaries of Armbarny creek. Everywhere green leaves of beachs (<i>Betula nana</i>). We made defined study plots near the abandoned Nenets settlement. Now we found 14 nests very close to houses. Near the nest of Peregrine Falcon downstream Pechanka we found only 5 nests of Barnarcle in the bluff there, but around there were almost 10 nests of Whitefronted Geese. On the way we found additionally 7 nests of Whitefronts.During excursion through the tundra we saw a lime coloured neckband. Unfortunatly we couldn`t read it because of foggy weather.

25-6-2007 Alexander and Igor started to 7-days-trip to the Lower Pechanka area to check breeding bird plots of 2006, there. They started rafting with rubberboat, since evening there is no contact by radio connection to them anymore. Camp team started a long excursion to glacial lakes.

23-6-2007 Everybody is well off. Found 11 White Fronted Goose nests. It rained the whole day, during storm up to 19 m/sec the old Tatonka-Tent died (it was brought to Russia in 1995!). Drinking hot chocolate with cognac in late evening, +3°C.

21-6-2007 Second team arrived on camp site at 10:40 local time. Good flight back to Nayar-Mar but fog at Tobseda. Successfully found at least. Picked up Prof. Drent there.

19-6-2007 Walked to Trinus' position. Bird not found but HPL Black nesting there. Also J21LIME with Offspring but without mate. 2nd team flew. To Nayar-Mar today.

18-6-2007 Ringed Arctic Skua on nest by using radio controlled clap nets. Bean Goose nest destroyed by fox. Started with study-plots. The weather: 1-5 °C, rain, snow and fog, Massive snow melting. Problems with email. Nenets people left their settlement and moved southward with their herds of rendeers.

13-6-2007 Day started with sun and 10°C. We did river rafting to explore raptors on bluffs. Even. Heavy rain but 6°C. Water arise, massive snowmelt. On way back we found three nests robbed probably by nenets.

12-6-2007 Today bright sunshine at 6°C. Found six nests near the camp. Chicks of Redwing Hatched. Also nest of Meadow Pipit found. Await cold night now.

11-6-2007 Visited Moraene area. Most glacial lakes still frozen. Found 13 nests and saw collar E25 Black. Weather: Real arctic spring.

10-6-2007 Further White Fronted Goose nest found near the camp. One nest destroyed by fox or rendeer. Today its -2 to 1°C, some snow but also sun. Found one leave of Equisetum on upland tundra big flocks of non-breeders. No nests there. Most upland lakes are frozen. Today there is a lot of migration of two North and Lower Pechanka.

9-6-2007 Winter is back. At the moment two centimeter snow with -1 °C. Today try to find Trinus sitting in a distance of about 10km.

Two newcolonies of Barnacle Geese found. Also six nests of White Fronted Geese and three of Bean Geese, only breeding in river valleys. Two nests of Bewick Swans found. Snowing at -1 to -3°C.

8-6-2007 Today snowfall the whole day. Made small trips and found more nests. 2 collars seen. First sight of Purple Sandpiper. Arctic Skua breeds near the camp.

7-6-2007 One pair of Bean Geese sitting 10 meters away from the toilet-tent. Nest found just now. No goose caught today.

23:00h: Second White Fronted Goose banded. Code VEB Black, Male.

6-6-2007 Breeding season started, found nests of Whitefronted Geese and Bean Geese. Today sun at 4°C, no rain. Next attempt to catch tomorrow the 7th.

5-6-2007 After heavy snow no rain. Spring begins. First 2 nests of willow grouse found today. All waiting for better weather.

4-6-2007 First Whitefronted Goose was caught. Neck collar VEA black, female of a breeding couple. Caught while feeding in the bog.

3-6-2007 Today we found the first egg predated by the Arctic fox. Only egg laying, no incubation so far. Black collar seen 2km from camp; code "G" unknown. Again strong wind.

2-6-2007 Today heavy snowfall. Yesterday some trouble with tents in storm. Actual 1°C. Again no nests found. 12 couples Whitefronted Goose in camp valley. Big Flocks on upland tundr. Small numbers of Bean Goose. Barnacle Goose still present also in the centre of Kolguyev.

1-6-2007 Made a small trip today. Heavy wind up to 18 m/sec and 4°C. No geese nests found so far. Merganser and scooters arrived. All team members in good condition.

30-5-2007 First nests are found. Redwing 5 eggs and Bewicks Swan 3 eggs. Nenets collect eggs of Glaucous Gulls. Weather is nice. 7°C, frost at night.

28-5-2007 After further storm the weather is fine again. Geese start breeding. White Fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese and Bean Geese were found next to the camp, 42km to old camp site. Found den of Red Fox and a colony of Glacous Gulls.

26-5-2007 today sunshine till 16:00h. Many migrating geese. Max. temperature 16°C, min. temperature 4°C. Storm in the evening, 2 10 Bf.

25-5-2007 Snow tonight. The camp is established. Met Nenet's rendeer herding a hunting geese

24-5-2007 Flight today at 2:00h local time. Change to satellite phone then.

23-5-2007 Nayar-mar: ice of pechora broke; geese and swans are migrating. It is 8°C, snow is nearly melted; departure tomorrow at 2:00h local time.

21-5-2007 Expedition members will flew via Archangelsk to Nayar-Mar and meet with Dutch and Russian goose researchers. Together we will fly with helikopter to Tobseda and Kolguev.

20-5-2007 H. Kruckenberg flew from Hamburg to St. Petersburg to meet Russian participants, arrived at 13:20 local time with lots of equipment for the expedition.