BEAR!

06/09/17

Today was one of those days where being in the right place at the right time really plays dividends. Having driven a few Km towards our ringing site at Nyrud, we found 3 Moose beside the road in the same field where we saw a pair last year (Photo by HH). Always a great start to any day in the boreal forest!

However, only a short time later, this was superseded when a Brown Bear ran across the road in front of us around Noatun! Although they are present within the forest, like many mammals, they are very difficult to find, so seeing them proved quite a challenge!

To put this sighting in context, some members of the group have been visiting Varanger for 6 years, and this was their first sighting of a Bear, so you can imagine the excitement with the chance sighting!

This particular Bear, an immature, around 1-2 years old has been seen on a number of occasions in the area in the last few weeks, so our hopes were high to see it!

Once at Nyrud, we were initially optimistic for the days ringing with lots of birds moving through the vegetation, again mostly Willow Warblers, with smaller numbers of Reed Bunting. Overhead, a significant passage of Meadow Pipits was underway, with smaller numbers of Tree Pipits among them. Additionally, 2 Lapland Bunting flew around the clearing calling, before flying of south east into Russia.

The first round revealed the bulk of the days catch, with activity dropping off very quickly after this, to almost nothing by the time we left at 11am. Things move very quickly in the arctic!

Totals for this morning:

Species	Totals
Willow Warbler	11+2
Meadow Pipit	5
Reed Bunting	3
White Wagtail	3
Fieldfare	1
Common Redpoll	1
	24+2

  

Perhaps the most interesting bird of the morning was taken by a very large Willow Warbler, with a wing of 75mm. Possibly indicative of a far eastern bird?