Red Book whooping swans flew to the Semyachik estuary of Kamchatka
Whooping swans, listed in the Red Book of Kamchatka, have arrived at the Semyachik Estuary, Kamchatka.Today reports.
Tatiana Morina, State inspector of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, said that the estuary does not freeze in winter due to hot springs, and open reservoirs are a great opportunity for swans to overwinter.
“Whooping swans winter where there are open reservoirs. For example, they have chosen the polynyas on Lake Khalaktyrsky, which are formed due to the discharge of warm water from the thermal power plant. This bird is often found in Kamchatka in winter, but nests on the peninsula in very small numbers,” explained Dmitry Pilipenko, Deputy Director of Science at the reserve, ornithologist.
In a protected natural area where no one bothers the birds, they can stop at the Semyachik estuary, Kronotsky Lake and the Kronotskaya River, and they are often seen on Kuril Lake in the South Kamchatka Federal Reserve.
The whooper swan is a specially protected species in several regions of the country, including listed in the Red Book of Kamchatka. In the reservoirs of the peninsula, these birds have enough food to comfortably survive the cold season.: they feed on small fish and invertebrates in anticipation of their favorite food – roots and shoots of aquatic vegetation, which they collect in shallow water.
“Now the swans are staying in the middle of the estuary. They are almost invisible, but the purring of birds can be heard on the cordon from morning to evening,” said Maxim Skutin, state inspector of the reserve.
The Semyachik estuary is a shallow lagoon–type reservoir located on the eastern coast of the peninsula, with an area of 780 hectares. It has an influx of thermal waters. The estuary is home to wetland birds such as terns, gulls, ducks, sandpipers, geese and others. In spring, up to 10 thousand birds gather here, and in autumn – up to 15 thousand.
Photo: screenshot of Maxim Skutin’s video.