NATALYA M.KALYAKINA: Phenology of the Common Swift in Moscow

Abstract

The text presents the arrival dates over a ten-year period and the departure dates (the last sightings) over a six-year period. The median from the arrival in Moscow and its surrounding area is 12 May (N=14) and from the departure 11 August (N=9), making a stay of 92 days.

NATALYA M. KALYAKINA:

Phenology of the Common Swift in Moscow

Over the last years I have collected some phenological dates of Apus apus from Moscow from my own observations (they are marked with NMK) and also from contributors.

1997

Moscow. First recorded on 12 May, latest on 13 August (NMK).

1998

Moscow, Medvedkovo. First recorded on 12 May, latest on 14 August (NMK).

1999

Ibid. First on 21 May; on 21 July a fledgling found on the ground; it later died (NMK).

After Kalyakin (2000) first recorded on 16 May.

2000

Ibid. First 20 May, last 9 August (NMK). After Kalyakin (2002) first recorded on 18 May, latest on 17 September.

2001

Ibid. First recorded on 15 and 16 May, then the weather became cooler (rain with snow) and the Common Swifts left the area, to be recorded again on 20 May. Last recorded on 9 August (NMK). According to Kalyakin (2003) first seen on 4 May, with the last seen on 11 August.

2002

Ibid. First recorded on 15 May (NMK). According to Kalyakin (2004) first recorded on 16 May, the last on 14 August.

2003

According to Kalyakin (2005), first on 11 May, last on 1 September.

Below I give information from Moscow (the relevant parts of the city are named) after my own (NMK) and other contributors’ observations:

2003

Arrival

None until 12 May.

12 May - Single birds flying, Southern Butovo, information from E. Zamesova.

13 May - 12 birds over Ostankino, G. Koerkamp.

14 May - First record in the area of Vnukovo, V.Nikulin.

16 May - A flock in Southern Butovo. E.Zamesova.

17 May - Three birds over Second Botkinsky Road, NMK.

18 May - Became common in S. Butovo, E.Zamesova.

18 May - Up to 10 birds over the main building of Moscow University, Vorobyovy Gory, L. Emelyanova.

19 May - first Swifts over Shirokaya Street, Medvedkovo, V. Kalyakin.

21 May - since then regularly recorded there (same informant).

Departure

I returned to Moscow on 14th August.. I saw one Swift in the morning, two pairs in the evening.

15 and 16 August - A few birds.

17 August - Up to 10 individuals.

18 August - None.

19 and 20 August - Two individuals.

21 August - Six individuals.

22 and 23 August - Two individuals.

24 August - The last Swift seen.

2004

Arrival

9 May - First three individuals, Medvedkovo, NMK.

10 May - First birds in the Main Botanic Garden, Ostankino, G.Koerkamp.

10 May - Great flocks over the Lyubertsy sewage fields (Moscow Region), P.Kvartalnov.

Departure

9 August - The last record of local nesters in Medvedkovo; later only transitory migrants were recorded, flying very high (able to be seen only with binocular), last record 28 August. NMK.

10 August - The last record at the Stroiteley Street, (information from N. Formozov). NB they were nesting over the informant's apartment, there was probably a second or late brood as he heard chicks calling until 14 August.

10 August - Local Swifts departed from city of Sergiyev Posad (Moscow Region), D. Koshelev.

13 August - Two Swifts over Kotelnicheskaya Quay, G. Vinogradov.

2005

Arrival

9 May - Two over the Stroiteley Street, N.Formozov.

10 May - First bird in Medvedkovo (NMK).

12 May - In Southern Butovo, K.Mikhaylov, later on the same day single flying birds, Sergiyev Posad, D. Koshelev.

14 May - Two Swifts seen over Akademik Korolyov Street, G.Koerkamp.

15 May - Several over Ostankino, same informant.

Departure

4 August - Last record of local Swifts.

Transiting migrants were also seen (Medvedkovo and NMK):

5 August - One bird.

6 August - One bird.

10 August - One bird seen late evening to the west of Moscow plus another four birds.

11 August - Three birds.

23 August - One bird.

Translated from the Russian by Dr. Igor Fefelov, English editing by Edward Mayer.

References

Kalyakin M.V. (compiler) [Ptitsy Moskvy i Podmoskovya - 1999] (Birds of Moscow and its Surroundings - 1999, Russian), Moscow, 2000

Kalyakin M.V. (compiler) [Ptitsy Moskvy i Podmoskovya - 2000] (Birds of Moscow and its Surroundings - 2000, Russian), Moscow, 2002

Kalyakin M.V. (compiler) [Ptitsy Moskvy i Podmoskovya - 2001] (Birds of Moscow and its Surroundings - 2001, Russian), Moscow, 2003

Kalyakin M.V. (compiler) [Ptitsy Moskvy i Podmoskovya - 2002] (Birds of Moscow and its Surroundings - 2002, Russian), Moscow, 2004

Kalyakin M.V. (compiler) [Ptitsy Moskvy i Podmoskovya - 2003] (Birds of Moscow and its Surroundings - 2003, Russian), Moscow, 2005

ISSN 1438-2261

Russian version