Migration of Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola in the Cholgini Ornithological Reserve, Ukraine

This analysis of Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola migration in the Cholgini Ornithological Reserve during 1995–2010 shows that the species occurs principally as an autumn migrant between the end of June and early September. During this period, 1,590 Wood Sandpipers were caught of which 1,419 were juveniles and 153 adults. Counts indicate a mean autumn passage date of 5 Aug; successive pulses of migration probably reflect the differing phenology of adult females, adult males and juveniles. Retrapped juveniles show that some individuals may stay for at least 24 days, though most probably stay for no longer that about two weeks. Apart from those birds that lost weight and may have been affected by capture stress, the mean rate of mass gain of retrapped juveniles was 1.37 g/day, similar to that found at other European sites. The potential flight of the heaviest 10% of adults is estimated at 1,982–3,042 km, and of juveniles at 2,526–3,881 km, indicating that a further stop around the Mediterranean will be necessary before the birds attempt to cross the Sahara to their main wintering grounds.