Changes in numbers and distribution of wintering waterbirds around Gotland 1969–2020

The coastal areas of the island of Gotland in the center of the Baltic Sea is an important wintering site for waterbirds in Sweden. Gotland offers extensive areas of shallow feeding grounds and, due to its location, some open waters remain available even during harsh winters. Wintering waterbirds have been counted annually on the island since the start of the International Waterbird Census in 1967, with full coverage of all the inshore areas around the main island obtained during the years 1969–1978 and 2013–2020. Between these two periods, the mean total number of wintering waterbirds increased from 32,000 to 111,500. The most numerous species were Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula. Some species such as Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope, Eurasian Teal Anas crecca, and Gadwall Mareca strepera started to winter during the second period. Marked increases were also found for Smew Mergellus albellus and Greater Scaup Aythya marila, likely related to progressively milder winters in recent years.

An account of a first record of the Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Linnaeus, 1758 (Aves: Anseriformes: Anatidae) in Bhutan

PunatsangChhu in Wangduephodrang 27.486°N 89.899°E (1,273m) is one of the largest rivers and an important zone in Bhutan for resident and migrant water birds. It is the expanse where the diverse birds are seen on a stretch between 27.462°N 89.901°E and 27.579°N 89.867°E (Tobgay 2017). Large numbers of winter migratory water birds in Bhutan have been found in this location (Spierenburg 2005). Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula was first sighted on Saturday, 5th of January, 2019 along PunatsangChhu 27.512657’N 89.887610’E at the elevation of 1142meter above sea level in the morning but couldn’t capture photo and more over mistreated it to be some other common water birds. However, until on 8th of January, 2019, it was a success to have photographed while it was foraging alone at the sand extraction sites at around 12:30 hours in the evening. The duck was observed diving simultaneously under water foraging at the time of sighting. It was then photographed with the help of DSLR camera and kit lens 55–300 mm until it flew away to other side of the river.

Bird images in the mosaics of Late Antique basilicas in the town of Sandanski (Blagoevgrad Region, SW Bulgaria)

This paper presents and analyses for the first time all data on bird images of two Late Antique basilicas of the Roman period (5th-6th c. AD) in the town of Sandanski (SW Bulgaria). A total of eight species have been recognised on the floor mosaics of both basilicas: Anas platyrhynchos, Bucephala clangula, Dendrocygna viduata, Nettapus coromandelianus, Marmaronetta angustirostris, Porphyrio porphyrio, Psittacula krameri, and Sypheotides indicus. Exotic birds of Palaeotropic (Ethiopian) and Indomalayan (Oriental) distribution confirm once again the active ancient Roman contacts with East and Trans-Saharan Africa and the Hindustan Peninsula.

Recent Data on the Danube Delta (Romania) Avifauna from the 2014 and 2015 Summer Seasons

A number of faunistically interesting observations related to the avifauna of the Danube Delta (Romania) are presented. In the spring of 2015, a mass mortality event with a minimum of 118 dead birds occurred in a major Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus colony in the Black Sea lagoons caused by the avian flu virus, strain H5N1. A possible hybrid between Little Egret Egretta garzetta and Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis was observed. The first nesting of Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea in the Danube Delta was documented. Goldeneye Bucephala clangula and Smew Mergus albellus are re-colonising the areas they abandoned in the early 20th century. New data regarding the relocation of Pallas’s Gull Larus ichthyaetus colony in the Danube Delta as a result of hydromorphological changes in the bay, nesting and defence strategies against Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans are described. Probable nesting of Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola in the Danube Delta was documented in 2014 for the first time.