Migratory birds of the Mordovian reserve. Photo report "Excursion to the Mordovian State Natural Reserve named after P

Quite recently, at the beginning of summer, early in the morning, bird polyphony burst through the open window. Here the gray warbler brings out its ornate melody, which has made a cozy nest for itself in the fork of mock orange branches, and right behind the fence on top of a tall spruce sits the recognized Orpheus of the bird world - the blackbird - and sings something under his breath (or rather, under his beak). Like teenagers whose voice mutation has begun, scurrying and squeaking in the bushes are the fledglings of the great tit, who have recently left their nest in the old titmouse. It seems like it was only yesterday! And outside the window - snow, twilight in the middle of the day, and in general it is hard to believe that this timelessness can ever end. And suddenly…

"Apples in the Snow"

A handsome bullfinch sits in detail on a branch of a spreading mountain ash. Astrakhan tomato, and more! Perhaps it is he who serves as a standard bird for us, which adds a little optimism to the sad winter picture. The fact that bullfinches visit our gardens (and feeders suspended in them) in winter does not mean at all that we don’t have them in summer. The bullfinch is an absolutely common nesting bird in central Russia. Once you identify for yourself his simple song, you will easily isolate it from the summer bird polyphony. Quite often in mid-May, one can observe a red-breasted handsome man (or his more modestly colored girlfriend) on a branch of a flowering apple tree, where a bullfinch with the most thoughtful look eats away sweet stamens and pistils from a flower. Do not worry, for him this is not the main food, and he will not cause damage to your future harvest. Just pampering, like a lollipop for a child.

Bullfinch. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

It is interesting

It turns out that in winter and summer we see not the same individuals: this became clear from the ringing data. For example, bullfinches fly to St. Petersburg for the winter, which nested somewhere near Arkhangelsk. And from the vicinity of the Northern capital, they, in turn, fly to the "resort" - closer to Moscow. Such not very long migrations are very logical from the point of view of the survival of the species: there is a kind of voyage along the "hospitable" edges. In places of local abundance of food (mainly berries of mountain ash, hawthorn, chokeberry), the birds stop for a while. And, having raised the crop properly, they fly further.

In recent years, when there is almost no real winter, sometimes the whiskered tit (P. biarmicus), a distant relative of both the puff and the pole owl, began to stay for the winter. So far, she keeps on the willow bushes and in the reed thickets around the reservoirs - she has not yet learned to derive undoubted benefits from being close to a person!

"Merry family"

Among the most notable birds in winter, without a doubt, are tits. We have several types of winters. The great tit (Parus major) is the most common. You can meet her even on Red Square, even in the inner courtyard of the Hermitage. Yellow breast, black tie. Busy and businesslike. This is a regular visitor bird feeders, the main consumer of sunflower seeds and unsalted fat.

Puffy. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Winter - difficult time for all living things. And the birds do not spend it from a good life in our latitudes. It would seem much more logical to wait out the snow and frost somewhere in the Mediterranean or the Red Sea. But native species live there, and they do not want to share food and living space with aliens at all.

Her closest relative, one might say, a cousin, is the brown-headed tit, or puff (P. montanus). Like the great tit, it is also very numerous. But in size and strength it is inferior to its “cousin” and in a dispute for the right to be the first to cling to a piece of bacon hanging on a wire, it almost always passes. There is another similar species of tits, which in winter we can see both in the forest and on the feeder. This is a black-headed, or marsh, tit (P. palustris). I would call this view almost virtual for a simple (not sophisticated) bird lover. Well, nothing, absolutely nothing, it differs from the powder! Only stubborn taxonomists find minor differences in plumage paint! Yes spring song sounds slightly different.

Blue tit. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Did you know?

Crested tit, or grenadier (P. cristatus) is a small bird with a flirtatious crest. It is interesting that for life it can be content with a very small area. Both the birth and rearing of offspring takes place on only a few hundred square meters! And she makes a nest in an unusual way: she hollows it out in the trunk of a rotten alder or birch. Neither give nor take - woodpecker!

and the feeder you can see and blue tit. And in the Moscow region, only blue (P. caeruleus). But a little to the north (in the zone of taiga forests and light forests) there is also a white (P. cyanus). Here you have another difference between the two capitals! But both species are absolutely charming - both in color and in behavior.

Slightly apart from other types of tits is the long-tailed tit, or pole tit. The bird received such a popular name for the combination of a long tail, reminiscent of some people the handle of a ladle, with a tiny head. Even her Latin name- Aegithalos caudatus - translated into Russian, it emphasizes that the bird is "tailed". In a systematic sense, this is probably the second cousin of the great tit, or in general some kind of sister-in-law. Our simple treat in the form of seeds and bacon does not suit her: with her microscopic beak, she simply cannot cope with the seed.

Attention

Little titmouses, in particular Muscovy, are often unable to cope with seeds. “The eye sees, but the tooth is numb!” Such small pichugs need help: crush the hard shell of the seeds a little. Bird lovers should generally adopt this procedure. Strong birds do not care if the seeds are crushed or not, but for smaller ones it is just a gift from heaven.

Moscow. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

But our smallest tits with the patriotic name Muscovite (P. ater) willingly visit the feeders. They are rarely numerous, and differ from other species by a clearly distinguishable white spot on the back of the head.

Off-suit company

"On the light" can look and other wintering in middle lane feathered. Here, for example, is the nuthatch (Sitta europaea). He is almost always in splendid isolation - not like sociable tits. He took a seed and flew off to a branch of the nearest bush. A complete feeling that he knows exactly why he came: everything is business-like, without stupid chirping and shadowing. I came - I saw - I ate!

Nuthatch. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

By the way, about chirping. Sparrows, of course, will not miss a meal. We have two types of them: brownie (Passer domesticus) and field (P. montanus). The first one has a gray female, one might say, plain (it sounds better - modestly colored), but the male, perhaps, is even smart. Although, of course, it does not shine with special beauty. But professional ornithologists are still arguing about the differences between “girls” and “boys” in a field sparrow. Someone sees a slight difference in the color of the plumage, while someone says that this is only individual variability.

Field sparrow. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

By the way, it’s still not clear to me why the sparrows were so guilty in front of a person that even the recommendations for making feeders specifically say what should be done so that they do not crawl into the “dining room”? Moreover, it is quite possible to separate them with titmouse according to the gastronomic principle: crumbs, millet, millet will be happy to peck sparrows, but seeds - tits.

Attention

A “closed type” feeder, i.e. a house with windows where birds fly in, is not to the liking of many birds. A bullfinch, for example, will not even try to squeeze into a narrow "loopholes". Yes, and sparrows, which are hollow-nesting in their mentality, are in no hurry to crawl into the holes of the feeder-house.

"In the Crow's Village"

To see who else stayed to while away the winter with us, and did not fly away to distant warm lands, we will break away from watching our feeder and go for a walk around the country house. Without a doubt, the palm belongs to the diverse crow tribe. If you put all our corvids in one row as in a parade: a raven, a crow, a magpie, a jackdaw, a rook, a jay, then appearance and you can’t tell which of them is a sissy, and which is not afraid of any frost. In fact, all the corvids spend the winter with us, with the exception of the rook. It is understandable, of all the representatives of the corvidae family, the diet of the rook has the most insects. However, in recent decades, and he sometimes hibernates. Mostly in places where food is constantly available, namely, in suburban landfills. Together with crows, gulls and pigeons.

Crow. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Mister in black

The crow can be safely called the head of the whole family. I hope it's not worth saying that this is not a crow's husband, but a separate species. The most freedom-loving of the corvids. Until now, he leads a fairly independent lifestyle (independent of people, of course). And by the way, the raven is songbird! Of course, in a systematic sense, and not according to vocal data. Although the spring “cru-cru” of ravens may seem to many, if not melodic, then at least not repulsive.

It is interesting

The range of the gray crow, by the way, is very large, extending from Ural mountains and to western Poland and the former GDR. But to the east of the Urals, a black crow lives. She even status separate species do not give: it is listed in the rank of subspecies. The same picture continues in Europe. There, the gray crow is also replaced by a black one.

The crow is grey. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

"Grey Personality"

Oh, someone, and we see gray crows all year round! In early March, they complete their nest with twigs in their beaks, in autumn they tear apart some package left at the bus stop, they try to get something out of the snow ... And it seems that these are the same specimens. But no! There are a lot of inaccuracies in the arguments about the sedentary nature of crows. Only adults lead a real sedentary lifestyle. And the young "roam around" in search of a better life quite far from their father's house. For example, a crow, ringed by me in May in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, was found in the autumn of the same year in the Middle Urals. Here you have a settled crow! Explicit and large-scale migrations of crows occur in November - autumn and in February.

Jay. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

dandy

Thanks to the blue “mirror” on the wing, the jay (Garrulus glandarius) looks elegant in a foreign way. Perhaps this is the most herbivorous among the corvids. Hence the exorbitant interest in acorns, mountain ash and small apples. In winter and early spring, this bird is very noticeable. She seems to say: “Look how beautiful I am. Not like a crow! In winter, jays mostly fly in families. Includes mom, dad and kids. Young birds disperse only at the end of winter. They make their nests only at the age of less than two years, and all the next summer after birth they only idle. Well, in winter, of course, they visit bird feeders.

On a note

The most sedentary of the corvids is, of course, the magpie. A pair of these birds can live happily ever after in the territory of some small gardening. Moreover, the offspring fly off very close - literally all blood relatives can live on an area of several square kilometers.

Jackdaw. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Stylish "thing"

The plumage color of the jackdaw (Corvus monedula) can be described as "wet asphalt". Very elegant! This bird is the most real hollow-nesting among the corvids. This circumstance helps her successfully survive severe frosts. While the crows are sitting and shivering from the cold on a tree branch, the jackdaws climb into some calm, and if you're lucky, a warm place. stronger and large birds sometimes they offend the jackdaw, but she endures it stoically.

Goshawk. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

In the hunting grounds

Birds of prey, despite their "sinister craft", cause involuntary admiration. In the summer, it happens that they even look into our gardens without invitation. But how are things with them in winter?

"Sailor in a vest"

Have you noticed how sometimes the edge of the forest near your garden calms down - just before a thunderstorm? A few seconds of silence, and then the ubiquitous crows try to restore order with their cry. This means: a goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) flew out to hunt. A large, two-kilogram bird swept swiftly at a height of some ten meters. You could even see the gray back and dapper white chest with a transverse stripe - like a sailor's vest.

Most birds of prey - from small falcons to the largest eagles - are migratory. But the hawks often stay. Moreover, as in the case of other species of birds, adults usually turn out to be homebodies, but young birds roam widely. And predators have one feature: their males are smaller than females. Therefore, so that there is no competition with the larger "lady", they fly off together with the younger generation.

Not every year, but regularly adult Sparrowhawks (A. nisus) remain to winter. This predator is a two times smaller copy of the goshawk. These small hawks feed on any living creatures. A sparrowhawk that has settled near your feeder can bring many sorrowful minutes to your feathered guests.

Sparrow owl. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

"Night Witches"

Danger can lie in wait for small wintering pichugs not only during the day, but also at night, when owls rule. Most nocturnal hunters fly to warmer regions for the winter. But some of them remain.

The rather large Owl (Strix aluco) is quite capable of overcoming a prey the size of a crow. And our smallest owl - a sparrow owl (Glaucidium passerinum) - is a real thunderstorm of tit flocks. It is interesting that in other years the tawny owl starts nesting even in winter. The fact of finding her chicks, and quite feathered ones, was recorded already at the end of February. Which means the eggs were laid sometime between Christmas and Epiphany! The sparrow owl (namely, the owl, and not the owl - this is the completely scientific name of the genus of birds) does not perform such feats with winter breeding, but postpones this most important “event” until better times - until May.

around and around

At the thought of hawks and owls, one becomes anxious for the visitors to our feeder. Wouldn't it be better to go home? Moreover, on the way back we will surely come across other birds wintering in the vicinity of the dacha.

Woodpecker. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

"Snitches"

So it is: the first thing we meet is a large spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major). This is the most common view we have - it is always in sight: both in summer and in winter! Together with him, like a royal retinue, a mixed flock of tits, puffballs, grenadiers, and our smallest pichugs - kinglets (Regulus regulus), who stayed with us. Each such crumb weighs a little more than a five-ruble coin. Tits in comparison with them seem almost giants. But in winter there are only a few belated individuals. Still, the place of the kings is in the southern regions.

But the pika (Certhia familiaris) is a common bird in the winter forest. What she does in the company of a tit flock and a woodpecker is not entirely clear. Usually pikas keep alone and even differ in non-standard behavior. They do not jump along the branches, like all normal birds, but exclusively “crawl” along the trunk of a tree, examining all the cracks and cracks in the bark and removing hibernating insects from there. Moreover, they move “upside down”, that is, from the top of the tree to its base.

Pika. Photo: From the personal archive / Vasily Vishnevsky

By the way, unlike the big motley woodpecker, many species of woodpeckers are migratory. For example, the inhabitants of broad-leaved forests, green and gray-haired woodpeckers, fly from us to southern Europe. Such lovers of the velvet season, who decided to fly to Nice for half a year! But with us remains the largest of our woodpeckers - black, or yellow (Dryocopus martius). Big, simply huge, almost larger than a crow, it flies heavily, as if emphasizing its size and significance. The loud guttural cry of the yellow often makes you shudder in surprise. Even if you have never seen the bird itself, you most likely found traces of its life activity: huge holes in the trunks of thick Christmas trees. So he looks for woodworm larvae.

Svirestel. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Handsome

On the way back, right in front of us, from a tall old mountain ash, whose branches are bent with many berries, a flock of waxwings flew off. These large, brightly colored birds with a perky crest and glowing yellow spots on their tails spend their summers in the forest-tundra, far to the north. In the same place, offspring are bred, feeding their chicks almost exclusively with mosquitoes and midges. But in adulthood they become exclusively berry-eating. Their cheerful flocks in winter are often found in the vicinity of holiday villages, where there is something to profit from.

Sometimes on the same mountain ash, if you are very lucky, you can see a handsome schur (Pinicola enucleator). Birders with experience from time immemorial have revered him for the "red bird". The one who caught the scura was considered a real ace. This bird really has all the necessary qualities to get into the elite of the bird world. Firstly, the shur is larger than the bullfinch. Secondly, it flaunts color - there are individuals with a bright crimson, carmine, brick, orange breast. In addition, schury have good vocal abilities. And yet, they are rare. They have always been rare.

Klest is a spruce. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

It is impossible not to remember the crossbills. That's who the winter resident is! Almost the only bird that is not at all afraid of winter cold. Crossbills manage to raise chicks in the midst of frost! The fact is that they almost 100% feed on the seeds of coniferous trees. Moreover, the spruce crossbill gets them, according to its name, from spruce cones, and the pine crossbill, respectively, feeds on pine seeds. And there is also a white-winged crossbill, which also gravitates towards Christmas trees. But all of them will be with great pleasure to feast on the seeds in your feeder.

Did you know?

Crossbills can nest not only in winter. Their nesting season is quite clearly correlated with the presence of cones. There are cones - chicks appear from February to July. And there are no cones - there may be no chicks at all.

Tap dance. A photo: Vasily Vishnevsky

Originals

Quite often, for the whole winter, especially if it is mild, such representatives of the feathered kingdom as greenfinch, goldfinch, siskin, tap dance remain. And they usually arrive from wintering places very early - it seems that they did not fly away at all. But, perhaps, due to the general warming, you are no longer surprised to see these birds on New Year's holidays.

Some other birds, which do not winter at all with us, sometimes began to stay. The blackbird (Turdus merula) has long been settled in the Scandinavian countries and Great Britain. It seems that this trend has come to us. The sayings known since childhood about the fact that “a rook is a spring bird”, and “a starling is a herald of spring”, may soon lose their relevance. In one place or another, you can observe these birds right in the middle of winter!

What will be the feathered population of our cities, forests and gardens in the future, of course, we do not know. But, you see, the birds around us make this world more pleasant and diverse. Whether it's a flock of waxwings eclipsing the sky or just a couple of cooing pigeons.

Schur (Pinicola enucleator L)- a very rare vagrant species. On January 25, 1979, 2 males (an adult and a juvenile) were recorded in the area of the "South-West".

Black-headed Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis L)- sedentary look. Birds gather in huge flocks in autumn and migrate from forests to wastelands, where they willingly feed on burdock and thistle seeds. After snow falls, they break into small groups and roam in search of food and overnight stays.

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs L) is a rare breeding species. Some individuals remain for the winter. Birds were noted in the forest park zone and residential areas in the winter of 1990. The male chaffinch stayed in the residential area all winter. The bird was feeding on the pavement under a mountain ash (probably its seeds).

Greenfinch (Chloris chloris L) rare, partly settled, nesting species. Birds recorded on the outskirts of the southwest, in forest parks and in residential areas (3.12.78). On the territory of the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute on December 13, 1993, a flock of greenfinches was encountered.

Siskin (Spinus spinus L)- the usual regularly wintering species. It usually lives alone or in small flocks. However, in some years, flocks of up to 30 or more individuals were noted. A flock of 10 individuals was seen on 01/26/83 near the Furmanov stop. Feeding of siskin with birch, red mountain ash, and thistle seeds was noted.

Linnet (Acanthis cannabina L.)- common nesting species. Found on the outskirts of the city, kept in flocks of up to 50 individuals. Birds were noted in the area of "South-West" on November 28, 1978 and on the territory of the Zelenaya Roshcha camp site on February 9, 1979.

Common tap dance (Acanthis flammea L.)- a common winter look. More often observed near birch forest plantations, alleys, parks, along roads. Found in flocks of 10 to 250 individuals. On A. Nevsky Street on 01/28/83, a flock of about 250 tap-dancers was observed. They ate birch seeds.

Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus L.)- a common, regularly occurring species. The number is 7.9 individuals / km 2. Found in all parts of the city. Birds keep in groups, often together with other species. They feed mainly on anthropogenic feed, as well as plant seeds. It feeds on feeders and dumps along with other birds: jackdaws, crows, rooks, pigeons, tits.

House sparrow (Passer domesticus L.)- numerous species. The number is 152.3 individuals / km 2. It is observed in parks, alleys, squares, near residential buildings. Birds keep both singly and in flocks. Often seen in flocks with other birds.

Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis L)- a very rare wintering species. A meeting with a flock of birds (16 individuals) was registered on January 3, 1989 in the Svetotekhstroy microdistrict.

Common Bunting (Emberiza citrinella L.) rare view. Encounters with buntings were recorded in the central park and forest parks. Keeps in small groups up to 10 - 15 individuals.

Thus, the winter avifauna of the city of Saransk is quite rich, it makes up 26.9% of the total bird fauna of Mordovia. It is represented by 37 nesting species, 2 (buzzard, green woodpecker) migratory, 4 (waxwing, bullfinch, tap-dancing, snow bunting) wintering, 1 (eye-eye) vagrant. The species composition is dominated by a group of forest birds. This is explained by the fact that between the microdistricts "South-West" and "Svetotekhstroy" there is a large forest area, which is part of the city and, apparently, is the way birds penetrate into the urbanized landscape. In addition, a variety of biotopes attract birds in the city (summer cottages, city parks, alleys, roadside forest belts, garden plots of the private sector, wastelands, ravines, floodplains, modern microdistricts, industrial enterprises), which are used for feeding, resting and overnight stays.

On the southern edge of the forest natural zone, located Mordovian Reserve. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that coniferous-deciduous forests typical for these latitudes are preserved in this territory in their original, natural form. And the diversity of representatives of the mushroom kingdom is such that few other protected areas can compare with it. In addition, these places are of great cultural value. Here you can plunge into the history and tradition of the peoples who have inhabited the Mordovian land since time immemorial.

Where is the Mordovian Nature Reserve

Mordovian State Nature Reserve named after Pyotr Germogenovich Smidovich is located at the address: Republic of Mordovia, Temnikovsky district, pos. Pushta. Tel. +78344529648.

How to get there

First you need to get to the regional center of Temnikov. From there is a regular bus service.
If you are traveling by car, there are several options to consider:

From the side along the E30 highway, after Zubova Polyana, turn onto the P180 highway to Atyurievo, then along the Atyurievo-Temnikov road.
From the side to Murom along the P72 highway, then turn to Vyksa, then through Chupaleika, Kriusha, Tengushevo, Barashevo to Temnikovo.
From the side along the P158 highway to Arzamas, after along the Diveevo-Arzamas highway to the village of Veryakushi, then turn to Pervomaisk, Elniki and to Temnikov.

From Temnikovo to the village of Pushta, in which the central estate of the reserve is located, is about 13 kilometers.

visit

To visit the reserve, you need a permit, which is issued by the administration of the institution at its location, in the village of Puszta.
The reserve offers tourists an extensive educational program, which includes:

Visit to the museum and the visitor center of the reserve. Available all year round.
Ecological trails, namely:

Acquaintance with the reserve. Duration 1500 meters, designed for two hours. Acquaintance with the flora and fauna, as well as the landscape diversity of the reserve. Available from May to October.
Path of ancestors. Duration 1500 meters, designed for two hours. Acquaintance with the traditions of the Mordovian land. Available from May to October.
Ecosystems of the reserve. The duration is six kilometers, it involves spending the night at the Inorsky cordon. Study of all ecological systems of the reserve. Available from May to October. Designed for visitors over 12 years old.
Springs, river life. Duration 200 meters. Dedicated to the hydrological resources of the reserve. Available all year round.

On the excursion "Along the trail of ancestors."

Visiting the cordons of the reserve - Inorsky, Novenkoe and Pavlovsky. Available whole year. There are guest houses on the cordons, where travelers can spend several days alone with nature. The cost of stay will be, depending on the conditions, from 300 to 1400 rubles. per day per person.
Excursion tours, including:

"Visiting the Reserve". Includes a visit to the visitor center, a museum, an excursion along the familiarization trail. The cost is 350 rubles. from a person. Available May 15 - September 30.
"Reserved Mordovia". The cost is 600 rubles. from a person. Available all year round.
"Expedition to the Inorskiy cordon". Designed for seven days, the cost is 4900 rubles. from a person. Available from May to August.
"Expedition to the Pavlovsky cordon". Designed for five days, the cost is from 4900 to 5900 rubles. from a person. Available all year round.
"Forest Survival Course". Designed for six days, the cost is 5700 rubles. from a person. Available in July-August. Aimed at teens ages 12 to 17.
"Our Animals". winter tour, available from December-March, subject to the presence of snow and temperature regime from -5° to -20°. Includes visitor center tour, snowmobile or sleigh ride to wildlife feeding grounds. The cost is 600 rubles. from a person.
"Family". Weekend tour. Includes accommodation at the Pavlovsky cordon with a one-day trip to nearby places of worship. The cost is 3800 rubles. from a person. Available all year round.
"National cuisine". Gastronomic tour. Includes a visit to the museum and an environmental awareness trail. Cost: in summer period from 850 to 1050 rubles, in winter - from 1100 to 1300 rubles. from a person. Available all year round.
"Protected Paths". Weekend tour. Includes visits to all ecological trails of the reserve. The cost is from 3190 to 4290 rubles. from a person. Available from May-November.

The central estate of the reserve.

Animals and plants of the Mordovian Reserve

Flora

The flora of the reserve is represented by the following diversity:

mushrooms - 290 species;
lichens - 136 species;

mosses - 77 species;
higher plants - 788 species.

The vast majority of the territory of the reserve is occupied by forests, of which more than half are coniferous. Among the tree species, pine predominates; aspen, birch, and linden are also represented. Spruce, oak, elm, aspen are less common. Of the shrubs, bird cherry, currant, raspberry, and blackberry are common.
Are under protection:

one type of mushroom- coral blackberry;
two types of lichen- lobaria pulmonary and menegation perforated;
four types of vascular plants- water chestnut, lady's slipper, red pollenhead and neottiante klobuchkovy;

Fauna

Animal inhabitants of the reserve:

insects - approximately 1500 species;
fish - 32 species;
amphibians - ten species;

reptiles - six species;
birds - 215 species;
mammals - 60 species.

Are under protection:

two kinds of insects- mnemosyne and carpenter bee;
11 species of birds;
two kinds of mammals- bison and muskrat.

Did you know? Of the 60 species of mammals in the reserve, five (bison, sika deer, deer, raccoon dog and muskrat) are introduced either naturally or by humans.

Feeding wild animals in winter in the Mordovian Reserve.

Video of the Mordovian Reserve

Mordovian State Nature Reserve named after Pyotr Germogenovich Smidovich is a reserve located in the Temnikovsky district of the Republic of Mordovia, on the right bank of the Moksha River, on the border of the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests and forest-steppe. Happy viewing!

The Mordovian Reserve pleased with its friendliness and hospitality. I believe that here one can find cultural and educational program to the taste of any sophisticated traveler.

What are your impressions from visiting this reserve? Maybe it's too open to everyone? Could this harm its inhabitants? Please express your opinion in the comments.

Employees of the Magadansky reserve held an event timed to coincide with two dates at once - the Day of Migratory Birds and the Day of Ecological Knowledge in the Olsk Central Library named after I. A. Varren.

The historical background to the establishment of this Day was the International Convention for the Protection of Birds, signed in 1906. Russia joined the Convention in 1927. Today, World Migratory Bird Day is a global environmental campaign that aims to increase knowledge about migratory birds, their habitats and travel patterns.
207 bird species have been recorded in the Magadansky Reserve. 144 of which nest on the territory of the reserve. Over 100 species are migratory. Loons, grebes, larks, wagtails, geese, ducks and many others.

Members of the club "Dialogue" (at the Olsk Central Library named after I. A. Varren) learned that spring "brings" a snow bunting flying over the Magadan region at the end of March. This little bird nests even further north - in Chukotka.

And in the Magadan region, one of the first (in early April), the Steller's sea eagle flies to nesting places.

In mid-April, black crows return to the valley of the Chelomdzha River (Kava-Chelomdzhinsky section of the reserve).

As you know, people from time immemorial admired migratory birds. In early May, in the sky over Magadan, you can see the first flocks of geese and ducks flying to their nesting sites. At the same time, meetings with the white wagtail, one of the first migratory birds of the passerine order, are frequent.

In mid-May appear predator birds- for example, the hobby and the osprey. In late May - early June, you can hear cuckooing in the forest - common and deaf cuckoos will fly in from the south.

One of the main causes of migration is the reduction or even complete disappearance of winter period forage base. As a result, birds are forced to migrate to areas with milder climatic conditions, where it is possible to find food and not die from hunger and cold. First of all, this applies to birds that feed on insects of certain species, small rodents and frogs. After spending the winter in favorable conditions, obeying the instinct of procreation, the birds return home: by the time they arrive, it is already warm and there is a food base. Migratory birds begin to equip nesting sites and prepare for breeding.

Press service of the reserve "Magadansky"