The last fifteen years I have been fortunate to conduct annual spring hunting in a remote area of the Kostroma region, in Kologrivsky area. For ten years before that I was hunting in the North of Yaroslavl region, the Nekouz district. All this time the main object of observation, and of hunting, of course, were black grouse and capercaillie. Woodcock was more interested in in terms of scientific observations.
During this time is quite unusual, unlike conventional monitoring spring currents grouse. Moreover, these changes in the behavior of birds recorded twenty years ago in the Yaroslavl region, and subsequently in Kostroma.
What were these changes? Yes that as such current were extremely spread in the territory, or even absent, in the presence of a lonely display of birds. Especially well it was visible in the Yaroslavl region (the presence of asphalt roads in uninhabited areas) when while driving, I see only one displaying bird in the field. Stop, see, go further. Moreover, these fields are separated by small copses or ravines and streams and are located from each other in close proximity, from-for what between the displaying bird may be no more than 0.5 to 1.5 km. Out the car window at a distance of 100-200 metres the presence of the hen was difficult to determine. When I was interested in the observations of my colleagues on the hunt, then, as a rule, they confirmed my observations.
In the Kostroma region, in the presence of high densities of grouse (winter observed mixed flocks of over 100 birds), over time began to manifest the same tendency. So if 12-15 years ago in the immediate neighborhood of the village was three currents at 15 to 18 birds, in the future every year the number of currents began to decrease to 8, 5, 3, 1-bird daily change of localization of current, which eliminates the possibility of hunting from a hut. Just do not think that the number of birds from year to year was falling, no, she was almost on the same level, according to winter flying and feed the flocks.
But interestingly, the number of birds present, but not involved in the current have not changed, even increased. This was clearly noticeable from inside the shelter on the approach of birds on the trees surrounding the field. In addition, part of the roosters was hiding in the bushes at the forest’s edge. Available displaying the roosters (how much they or it) never paid any attention to the approaching current teterok, which perturbed quantanium tried to reason with the Cavaliers. But!!! As soon as they depart from the centre of the current, closer to the bushes, there emerged young cocks, which immediately drags the hoarse from neglect of the hen. And by displaying cocks no sanctions followed. Moreover, it is necessary to note that the fights between them usually occurred. The roosters are sitting motionless, sometimes moving from place to place, and mutter. Copycat is extremely rare, although on coficine hunter still draws the attention, slightly closer to the hut, which in turn sometimes gives you the opportunity to make the shot the hunter.
After the dispersion of the current in the surrounding birch trees were left to sit silent previously, young roosters, who began to babble as “to urcate”, and it lasted hours until 10 am. The approach to the youngsters on the trees even more difficult than podpolanie, using the terrain display on the open field of cocks.
The General impression when leaving the house is fantastic — everything gurgles, come to the place, and — no! All birds are spread throughout the area. But, we must pay tribute, there is a constant rotation of birds between the mini-currents and approach individuals. But these newly created conglomerates very short-lived. But sitting on the birches youngsters like glue, while you will see, it won’t fly off.
Almost the same can be said about the local (Kostroma) the population of capercaillie. It is possible to note a fairly high density of birds two years ago on the ring route length of 20 kilometers of narrow-gauge Railways and logging roads, and I was only off the floor to lift more than 50 roosters, not counting flying down out of sight from the crowns of trees. “It is funny — one raised grouse had up to a dozen grouse.
So, this spring on three of the capercaillie currents within 10 days had raised only two of the silent, in the complete absence of courtship display of birds, and then only at the time of departure from the territory of the current. What is most interesting, Gujarat flew for 10-15 pieces that behaved quite inconsiderate and absolutely not scared of our open presence. At the approach to the current, we heard the voices of Gujarat, later came a new bird, but the roosters were missing as a class.
On the last day of our presence in current happened just anecdotal. In the presence of the visible region of more than a dozen Gujarat, already light over the clearing flew another, and her cock. All this, of course, took place in full view awaiting their fate abandoned Gujarat. What there began a hysterical quotane! We almost got with the stumps laughter and after some time went home. Our completely outdoor demarche did not cause any attention by the offended of Gujarat, which continued to resent the incident.
What conclusions can be drawn from the seen? Apparently, only one — the main fertilization are more young individuals not participating in the currents. For this reason I recalled an article in one of the collections of CNIL, that described long-term monitoring of geopromyshlenniki current grouse in Western Siberia. The message is that the current is gone through the old very large cocks who are not involved in fertilization and the young are dispersing.
Such a long time and have seen wild boars (with the death of older females, not allowing for fertilization of young pigs) — watch for the one-year-old gestating pigs, and deer during the rut, when the youngsters too did not lose time in vain during a deadly fighting of the owners of the herds.
