Monitoring of Breeding Birds in Häädemeeste coastal meadow 2000-2004

1. Monitoring of Breeding Birds in Häädemeeste coastal meadow 2000-2004 AivoKlein & Mati Kose

2. History • 2000- beginning of regular counts as a part of Estonian Coastal meadow monitoring program • Total area of monitoring ca 207 hectares • With expansion of management new census areas Rannametsa and Võiste were added in 2003 • On the basis of Häädemeeste and Rannametsa areas, was formed undivided coastal meadow complex of 400 hectares (treated as different census areas) • 2000 – For a first time there was no grazing in coastal meadows • 2001 – Subsidies for coastal meadow management • 2002 – Beginning of Life project activities

3. Methods • Mapping bird territories twice during breeding season, according to the Estonian Coastal meadow monitoring program. • First counts in middle of may, second in beginning of june. • From 2004 counts were made three times with first count at the end of april • Exactly the same mapping routes were used during 2000-2004 • Territorial birds were marked on fieldmaps, later in Mapinfo program as digital points. • Evaluation of management quality and condition of meadows and mapping as Mapinfo polygons • Additional information about the condition of meadows and breeding birds and breeding success of some species in stationary monitoring areas as well as outside was collected during Waterfowl census project april-november

4. Results • Although numbers of waders in general have decreased since 2000 overall situation has been stable with most of the species during last two years. Slightly lower numbers of Lapwing and Redshank in 2004 could be explained with expansion of Häädemeeste meadow and intensive restoration work in Rannametsa meadow where the numbers of theses species are increased most likely on account of Häädemeeste census area.

5. Results • Most of the species have continiuously decreased, numbers being wery low in 2003 when breeding of all the species were obviously influenced by weather conditions. Only the Gadwall follows overall increasing trend in whole Estonia

6. Results • From the beginning of management and restoration Passerine species are responsed quickly to changes in meadow quality. • Relatively high numbers of Whinchat reflects the general condition of coastal meadow, being on average well managed, but becoming more fragmented

7. Comparison between managed and unmanaged meadows

8. Sample of the mapping of the meadow management quality (2003) - well grazed, uniformly short-grass - moderately grazed - least grazed meadow - other unmanaged habitats

9. Dynamics of the grazing quality

10. Problems • Although situation in coastal meadows has greatly improved during last five years the coastline is mostly covered with reed-bed (red in map) reducing food source of waders, providing hiding places for predators etc. • Due to this number of coastal waders and other species (terns) is continiuosly decreasing • With low numbers of cattle it is important to concentrate on most important areas for waders

11. Problems • Relatively little attention on predatory species foxes, minks etc. As well on crows, even though nests of Hooded Crows on the coastal meadows were regularly destroyed there is still on average some 45-50 crows present in most vulnerable period april-may-june (counted during Waterfowl census, once in week)

12. Thanks