Eight year bond - pair and the territory

From Ryashkov island by the boat of Kandalaksha nature reserve for more than a week starting from 28 June counts were made on all the islands of the Northern Archipelago, Kandalaksha bay of the White Sea. In between we also were checking those islands where the Oystercatchers were ringed individually in the former years. Nice findings continued.



On the photo there is a pair of blue-CR-ringed Oystercatchers No.31-blue and No.35-blue – female and male respectively, that were ringed on 25 June 2001 on Lodeiny island as one pair. That year they were caught on the nest, and had three chicks, though it was then unknown how many of them survived. In most of the following years except 2004 (and also this year), there was a fox on this island, predating all the Oystercatcher nests, including the nests of this pair. Still at high tide the birds were recorded at their territory (at least in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007). Same happens in 2008 also.



Meanwhile in 2002 the 35-blue bird was flying 2 km distance to Ryashkov western coast for feeding at low tide – when disturbed there returning to Lodeiny. It actually proves the value of the territories here at the White Sea islands – the birds continue to stay on them and to defend them even if breeding attempts are insuccessful for a number of years.