Buotama Children's Camp

Visit to Buotama Children’s Camp
Masha Vladimirtseva, Institute for Biological Problems of the Permafrost Zone, Yakutia, Russia

This summer I visited Buotama Children’s Camp to educate school children about ornithology (the study of birds) and habitat protection. We had several bird watching excursions. The children ranged in age from nine to 16.

Our first trip was to the banks of the beautiful Buotama River, the southern tributary of the great Lena River in central Yakutia. Along the way to the river we counted and watched all of the birds we saw in the forest. To reach Lake Khara Oo (in Yakutian this means Black Water), where we knew it is possible to see many ducks and snipes, we needed to go through a bison breeding center with an open wooden fence. We took photos as the bison watched us. Then we found that we needed to climb the long fence around the bison to cross the wetland around the lake. It was a long and hard way, and our palms became splintered. And, in result, we did not find many waterbirds, because it was a very hot day. We just saw gulls and terns, and two Gray Herons. But then our efforts were rewarded – we reached Buotama! The water in this river is very cold and clear, and the bottom is very stony. The stones have sharp edges, and it is better to swim in slippers.

Another day, we counted nest holes made by Bank Swallows in the bank of the Lena River. The best counters were two boys, Yaroslav and Sema. They counted from the two ends of the line, and in the middle they added their two numbers together. We also enjoyed many different ecological games. The students were so happy to pretend to be cranes, even when they were "threatened" during their "migrations".

This summer was no so warm in Yakutia, and we were not so lucky to have many excursions. Most of the time we had to sit inside the Visitor Center and watch strong rainstorms through the windows. But the students had more time to hear my stories about birds, and the students in Wisconsin their same age who became my friends in March (Masha visited several schools in Wisconsin in March to teach them about the cranes and people of Russia). I also told them about our education project, Three White Cranes, Two Flyways, One World. They were so excited to learn that they will be able to present their own information and art on the Tracking Cranes website and to read stories about Chinese and American students participating in the project!