Marek Elas, Krzysztof Kajzer, Mateusz Grzębkowski, Artur Koliński, Andrzej Różycki, Dawid Sikora, Łukasz Wardecki, Andrzej Węgrzynowicz
Ornis Polonica 2015, 56: 212–219
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2015.3.2
Abstract: The survey of breeding population of the Common Sandpiper along the 51 km long section of the Middle Vistula River [a part of an Important Bird Area (IBA PL083) and Special Protection Area (PLB 14004)] was carried out between mid-April and mid-June 2013. Birds were recorded during transect control along the river banks and during kayaking and boating by motorboat. The detectability of breeding territories were variable due to method and date. The most effective was multiple transect control in which 98% of territories (estimated based on combination of all methods used) were detected. Regarding breeding status the most efficient was transect survey conducted between April and May (52% of territories were detected) and the least efficient was transect survey in late May (15% of territories detected). Detectability during kayaking was more than twice higher than during control by motorboat (56% to 23% of territories detected). Mixed method combining walking control between April and May and kayaking (84% of territories detected) was characterized by the highest detectability of censused Common Sandpiper territories. We also outlined restrictions of counting breeding population of the Common Sandpiper on big lowland semi-natural river, which have to be taken into account to compare results in following years of monitoring.
Keywords: breeding population, Common Sandpiper, Middle Vistula River, nesting, survey methods
