In the spring of 2021 I received good news from Poland. For the first time in years, the water level in the Biebrza area was once again old-fashioned high. The height of the water level there is mainly determined by the amount of precipitation, especially that of the previous winter. An excellent opportunity to get started with the floating hide again and to focus attention on the birds.
At the end of April it was time and despite the very cold spring I had good hopes that I would find enough waterfowl. Unfortunately, immediately upon arrival it turned out that the water level had dropped dramatically in two weeks time. The inhabitants of the area had not often seen it flow away so quickly.
The consequence was that all Ruffs, first present in large numbers, had moved on to more suitable places. The numbers of the other waterfowl were also small. Of the many songbirds that abound in the Biebrza swamps, I did not observe many species because their arrival time had been pushed back considerably due to the cold weather. The numbers of Storks were also low and the number of occupied nests was significantly less than in previous years.
Plant life had only just started due to the cold spring. Fields that normally show a sea of flowers, were bare. What that would mean for the numbers off caterpillar was briefly questioned, but it soon became apparent that with the help of a UV lamp, there was enough to be found. An interesting strip under a high-voltage line turned out to have been worked with a forest flail during winter. There is a large amount of Heather on this route, together with a variety of small trees such as Oak,Prunus serotina and Birch. In September the year before I had already found quite a few caterpillar species on this stretch and they should be fully grown by spring. After the work, of course, there was nothing left of it. Still a disappointment because I had the idea that this would give me a number of new varieties. Later, in August 2021, I went back again and I could see that the recovery was going smoothly. More about that in a later article.
I also intended to spend the necessary time with the group of amphibians. The Green toad in particular was high on the wish list. A beautifully colored species that was suspected to occur in the area. And with species such as Garlic Toad (Bufotes viridis) and Red-bellied Toad (Bombina bombina), there is also plenty to do in this area. The Grass Snakes, however, were again nowhere to be seen. Too cold!. The positive side of the latter is that I have not seen any dead vehicles. In particular, the road that runs through the national park can be littered with squashed snakes. Especially now that a new layer of asphalt has been applied, the speed of traffic has increased considerably. Previously, the quality of the road was so bad that people simply took it easy.
All in all and with the necessary ups and downs, this trip turned out to be a success again. But just staying there is already very pleasant.
News
Butterfly cocoons varia
Butterfly cocoons, not the first thing you would expect on a website. But on the other hand, it is perhaps a conceivable subject given the fact that in recent years I have been busy photographing butterflies and caterpillars. I mainly show here what I am interested in. These are not the most common topics and that could just be one of the reasons why I started working on this.
Since about a year I have also been engaged in breeding caterpillars and butterflies. And the butterfly pupa is the stage between both manifestations. When I also went looking for images of these coccons, it soon became clear that there was very little footage available. And so, one plus one is two!
There is not much variation. A large part of the pupae are similar, with the understanding that there is a clear distinction between those of the common butterflies and moths. The sizes of the cocoons will also contribute little. Of those close to a thousand macro butterflies in our country The Netherlands, the size varies between roughly 9 mm to about 23 mm. With a few exceptions there. That means large group of cocoons has the same length. However, there are differences in shapes of dots, fringe-like appendages or brackets. Furthermore, one coccon is slimmer and another a bit rounder. But with such large numbers, ….. be my guest.
All in all, it’s not a difficult subject. There is little movement and if you have documented three sides of each one you are almost complete.
But the most important aspect is that I’ll like to show the combination of the caterpillar, the cocoon and finally the butterfly itself.
Orange Tip growing up
For some time now I have been breeding butterflies. Now that is a big word, because besides providing fresh food, hygiene and oxygen, the animal does everything itself.
It usually starts with finding caterpillars that I then take with me. Occasionally I started with eggs, but then it is of course important that you know which species you are dealing with. This in connection with the food choice. However, the plant on which the eggs are found is also usually the food plant. If the caterpillar is fully grown after weeks of eating, all that remains is to ensure that there is something available for the caterpillar to pupate on ór in.
Often these are moths, but a species that was high on the list to also grow once is the Orange Tip, Anthocharis cardamines. Besides the fact that the butterfly is beautiful to see, the cocoon also has a special shape. And it is also attached to a twig in a very special way. First, a kind of anvil is made on the branch where the caterpillar with the retractors rests on. These are the last legs on the back. Then the caterpillar makes two threads and attaches it around his / her “waist”. It is a somewhat plastic description of how the caterpillar manufactures something so that it can hang on the branch, … and that for about ten months!
With this specimen, the entire process ultimately took about thirty nine hours. Quite long for when you are in a vulnerable position!
At the end of the entire period, when the butterfly is about to hatch, the pupa becomes transparent. You can already see whether it will be a male or a female. In the male, the large orange wing spot is already clearly visible.
Fortunately, this caterpillar chose a moment when I was free of work so I was able to eyewitness the pupation process. Hopefully that will get a sequel when the hatching of the butterfly takes place, but I’m not counting on that.
Indigirka Delta and Yakutsk, part 2.
Here part two of my trip to the Indigirka Delta, Siberia, Russia. A journey for which I finally had to bear four years of patience. This series continues to the point that we (we were with a small group) arrived at our base camp with the help of a few very fast boats.
Along the way the tundra turns out to be richly covered with willow bushes, sometimes up to two meters high. A little worried, I ask if the Delta is so overgrown everywhere. That turns out not to be the case and the moment we arrive at the camp, the tundra landscape is as we know it. Unusually large and hardly overgrown. There are plenty of willows here, but only in sheltered places. The advantage of this is that a reasonable number of songbirds also use the delta to breed.
However, the main reason that we are here is the occurrence of Ross’s gull and Yellow-billed Diver, breeding. Both species are relatively easy to see worldwide in only a few places. Of the Ross’ gull, the breeding location of only four percent of the total population is known. At least, I hope I have understood this correctly. Also where the birds stay in the winter has only recently been discovered.
Of the original fifteen pairs at our location, only three have not been predated by the Arctic Fox. The drought has ensured that this hunter can go almost anywhere. For us it has the advantage that walking on the tundra is just a little simpler. Although the latter is a relative term. Our first trip to the breeding location of this beautiful seagull was rushed through nerves. Thus, a number of us on arrival were just about total loss. Adrenaline still remains something special, because the sight of Ross’ gulls on the nest gave us renewed energy. And although nest photography may raise the eyebrows for some, it is virtually the only option for this seagull to see the species in breeding plumage. When the young are born they stay on the nest for a maximum of two days and then go out. From that moment on the parents also seem to have disappear without a trace.
Knowing that very few people on this planet have ever seen a breeding Ross’ gull, I try to take the time to really enjoy it. This also applies to the Yellow-billed Diver. Despite the tiredness we also undertake two long trips to these birds. Walking on the tundra is so difficult because there is no flat surface. For each step you take, you must determine where you put your foot.
Due to the drought, the tundra is remarkably empty. At that time it was simply not suitable for large numbers of waders. A phenomenon that the tundra is known for. The songbirds too, were very disappointing when it came to photography. Most of them had young in the meantime and were therefore remarkably shy for high northern breeding birds. It is clear that the local weather conditions determine what you will find.
All in all, this has become a journey not to be forgotten. The fact that only very few people have ever visited the Indigirka Delta makes it an unprecedented privilege. An exceptional journey.
Indigirka Delta and Yakutsk, Russia.
In June 2019, together with a small international group, I made a trip to the Indigirka Delta in north-east Siberia. It was the first time this trip was organized. The original goal, two years earlier, was the Lena Delta. A delta which is located slightly more to the west. Because this journey was canceled at the last minute, an alternative was sought.
The main purpose of both trips was to see and photograph the Ross’ Gull. A species of bird that can only be found worldwide with reasonable certainty at both mentioned locations. And then only in the breeding season. In any case, the breeding ground of only four percent of the entire world population is known. Still an elusive bird species.
The journey began in Yakutsk, the capital of the eponymous republic of Yakutia. This Siberian capital is about a 6.5-hour flight from Moscow and is completely surrounded by unspoilt nature. On the east side is the mighty Lena river. On site we are accompanied by a few local guides, scientists who naturally have their field of work in the field of nature. In the few days we stayed there we mainly visited the surrounding taiga forests. Pure nature and of course with a range of Siberian bird species. Due to the warm spring weather, the breeding season was already well underway. Many birds now had almost or fully grown youngsters. A big contrast with a year that goes ” normal ”. In the delta itself we understood from the professor that this is a 30-year cycle in which these weather conditions occur.
After a few days we left with a fairly dated propeller plane to our final goal, the Indigirka Delta. You arrive in Chokurdakh, an old place that still flourished in the communist era. The population has since shrunk to 2,000 people (was 5,000). It is always difficult to estimate where such places still ‘earn’ their right to exist. It probably costs a considerable amount of government support each year. The preservation of these settlements certainly has to do with ” presence ”.
That living in these locations will not be easy is a statement. A summer of about four months and a long dark period in the winter. In addition, the temperatures of minus 30 or lower do not invite you to take a nice walk.
Poland, Biebrzanski Park Narodowy 2018
A amply late (pictorial) report of last year’s (2018) summer trip. Sometimes it just happens, although it is preferable with a website to post something regularly. Unfortunately, there was still a lot of work to be done in our new home and that has been given priority. That way you keep the rest of the family happy and for yourself it also takes a lot of unrest.
The two-week holiday took place in the first half of August. A period that we have spent there before, but thanks to a different way of searching, it still yielded new varieties of caterpillars. If my information is correct, there was among our finds a species that had not been established in Poland before. In the previous news item I already written something about it. There are also a number of very rare species found, where only a few images are available of.
Although the number of people with interest in butterflies / caterpillars is growing in Poland, there are still major gaps in the knowledge of the appearance of many species. Not many observations occur from the Biebrza area and at all, the knowledge about the determination of caterpillars is far from complete. The subject is specialized and certainly not among the most appealing group.
Over the years I have gained some contacts and one of them is an entomologist who works for the university of natural sciences of Warsaw. On his initiative, a database has been created to map the biodiversity of the country. Some of the observations that I, together with my wife Inge and friend Jan Chóinski make in the area, have recently been included in this database. From one thing comes the other and it has resulted in being the first ” Foreigner ” now, having an account so that I can enter the observations myself. Almost automatically accompanied by footage of course. They find it very special that a foreigner shows so much interest in an area in ” their ” country. I also get a lot of help from a Dutch specialist. Finally, the supplied information must be correct. Finally, I regard myself as no more than a lover !!
For many, this will be a strange way to spend a vacation. Our holiday destination in Poland is still the choice of our daughter. You do not hear me complaining about that!! After all, children are a bit guiding when it comes to how and were to spend a holidays.
The next time we visit Poland, there are a number of areas on the program that we have not visited much. I will do my best to publish that report earlier.
Poland, Biebrzanksi Park 2018 extra
Just returned from another two-week holiday in the Biebrza area, north-east Poland. Where else I would say.
The trip was again very successful, especially since the rest of the family also had a great time. Daughter Merel is meanwhile at an age when she is doing her own thing and that means that I, together with my wife, regularly go out on the look for caterpillars.
This time again dozens of hours are spent on this subject and that is paid off in many new varieties, beautiful photo moments and ………. as a big surprise, a new species for Poland. The caterpillar at least, because the butterfly has now been observed about four hundred times in the country. This is the Shining marbled, Pseudostrotia candidula. A species from the group of owls, Noctuidae. A small nuance is that despite the fact that many people are now immersed in these groups, there will probably be a degree of unfamiliarity. And especially the extent to which an inventory is made. Does not take away that a scoop is always fun.
The Papillio machaon is still one of the favorites, despite all the rarities. The location and vegetation this time, provided a great opportunity to play extensively with composition and lighting.
Of the other dozens of images, there is still a lot to be determined, so the complete series will take some time.