Specialists of the scientific department entered the forest on the first winter registration routes. For two days, groups of 2-3 people passed through the reserve about 63 km.

Each group per day was from 7 to 11 km. The main routes included areas of mixed forest, deciduous forest and pine forests.

Despite the beginning of December, in the forest from under the thin snow cover in some places are visible leaves of wild strawberry, mosses and lichens and other plants that winter under the snow in green.

The weather in the days of registration was quite comfortable, but, unfortunately, not all the time. Contrary to expectations associated with summer cold and late spring, there were quite a lot of birds. The most numerous species was the goldcrest, and great spotted woodpecker.

great spotted woodpecker

Of the most interesting meetings during the recording, you can note a grey-headed woodpecker, eurasian pygmy owl, ural owl, western capercaillie and hazel grouse, and a large flock of 150 waxwings. One of the registration groups could even watch a eurasian sparrowhawk hunting a great spotted woodpecker.

grey-headed woodpecker

During the work, artificial nesting houses for birds were also inspected. In some of them, dead egg-laying clutches of european pied flycatcher were found. Last spring they were thrown by birds. Some eggs had already formed embryos. What caused the birds to leave their nests at this late stage of nesting? This will find out the experts. It is not excluded that the main reason was spring frosts and lack of food.

Specialists also met a handsome moose, several roe deer, squirrel. In addition, on the fresh snow, traces of other inhabitants of the reserve became visible: hares, numerous wild boars and foxes, martens, small mouse-like rodents. In the forest, despite the snow and cold, a lot of diptera insects, similar to very thin and small mosquitoes.