Late departure of Swifts (Apus apus) from the the Moscow region in 2014

Report on

Zubakin, V.A.: Late departure of Swifts (Apus apus) from the the Moscow region in 2014 (Russian).

Зубакин, B.A.: Позднии. отлет стрнжен нз Московскиого региона в 2014 г.

(APUSlist No. 5643)

by IGOR FEFELOV

The author V.A. Zubakin published his observations in Russian on migration and departure of the Common Swift on the website of the Russian Bird Conservation Union, http://www.rbcu.ru/information/1883/27877/

Since 2009, he regularly observes evening feeding of Swifts over the Izmaylovski Park from a window of his apartment at the Entuziastov Str. in Moscow. In 2014, the first wave of departure appeared as usual in late July. Then however the Swifts delayed more than usually (see the table). Flocks from 2-3 to 10-15 individuals were seen even after 30 Aug. This behaviour may be affected by the weather, which stayed warm from the 2nd half of August to the 1st week of September.