The two main goals of the 2019 expedition to Kolguev have both been reached. Of the 76 long-tailed ducks that were fitted with geolocatiors on Kolguev in 2017 and 2018, no less than 44 were retrappen in August 2019. In the 100 km2 study area 44 ducks were found in August, and they were all retrapped! One of the expedition members remarked: “Given all the really bad weather we had, this was a smashing success!”.

Photo top: the camp on Kolguyev from where the international expedition team  worked on long-tailed ducks and geese from 31 Juliytot to 14 August 2019. Below: the first catch of geese during this expedition and the team members on the last day of their stay on Kolguyev. Photo’s by/via Gerard Muskens. The team members were: Peter Glazov, Julia Loshchagina, Elmira Zainatgutdinova (Russian Federation), Kai Borkenhagen, Helmut Kruckenberg, Jonas Kruckenberg, Heike Wemhof-de Groot, Erich Bünemann (Germany) and Martijn van Schie, Erik Kleijheeg, Sander Moonen, Gerard Müskens (Netherlands).

During moult catches of geese 725 barnacle geese, 5 bean geese and 100 white-fronted geese were caught durgin the expedition. Of those, 570 barnacle geese, 5 bean geese and 64 white-fronted geese were marked. Part of the barnacle geese received coloured legrings, others a black neckband. Colour rings were orange-black (previously used on Kolguyev) and orange-green (new).The black neckbands have three digits, starting with the letters N.. or P... Nearly all marked barnacle geese were adults.

The first catch on 1 August included the previously marked barnacle goose black E64 (left). Five dfays later, the same bird was caught again (centre). Black E64 was marked as a juvenile on 9 August 2018 on Kolguyev. The only observation of E64 after its initial capture in 2018 was done on 1 October 2018 in the region Kymi in Finland. The photo right shows newly ringed barnacle geese with orange-green leg rings.