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Kedrovaya PADLocated in the Primorsky Krai, RussiaInformation provided by Konstantin Mikhailov, PH.D., WWF, Moscow January 1999. The 'Kedrovaya Pad' Nature Reserve can be visited for one day or with one night accommodation, directly from Vladivostok (3-3,5 hours of driving), or on the way either from Vladivostok to the Khasan area or from the Khasan to Vladivostok.
The 'Kedrovaya Pad' Nature Reserve is located on the southern outskirts of the Primorsky Krai, on the way from Vladivostok south to the Khasan area. It is one of the oldest Russian Nature Reserves, established in 1925; a small island (17,900 ha) of pristine southern Ussurian forests, as they were seen by Przhevalski and other famous Russian travelers of the XIX century. It was conceived as a 'botanical reserve' with preserved virgin grove of the Manchurian Fir (Abies holophilla) and Korean Pine - Ash - Maple - Birch lianas forest, very rich in Ussurian floristic, regarding flowers, bushes, lianas and trees overall. The pristine forests grow along the marvelous narrow valley of the mountain-type river (the River Kedrovaya), with stony bottom, clean water and many branched streams with small waterfalls. The valley is squeezed between two not very high ridges (300-400 m ab. s. l., a part of famous 'Black Mountains'), covered with Manchurian-type oak forests and, in the upper part of the river, with mixed East Siberian Fir (Abies nephrolepis) - Yeddo Spruce (Picea jezoensis) - Korea Pine taiga forest. This small 'island' of pristine forests among quite populated area attracts many forest birds (150 breeding species), including very rare and declining for the entire Ussuriland, as Chinese Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter soloensis), Collared Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena) and Brown Hawl Owl (Ninox scutulata). There are several sight-records of Hodgson's Hawk Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis) during past years. At last, the ''Kedrovaya Pad' is the only place on the Earth, where the female of the Far-East Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) constantly lives and breeds in the cave. All the films on this enigmatic rarest animal were done in the 'Kedrovaya Pad'. The reserve is a lovely place for one entire-day excursion following a good trail up the river through pristine forests. In spring, it is great number of singing birds and blooming flowers; in autumn, - fantastic 'Japanese paintings' of beautifully colored maples, ashes, walnuts and other trees; the tracks of the leopard and other mammals.
The 'Kedrovaya Pad' is a small Nature Reserve, located on the southern outskirts of the Primorsky Krai (=Primorsky Administrative Region), in Khasansky Administrative District, on the way from Vladivostok south to the very Khasan area. The most part of the reserve includes the valley of the River Kedrovaya, squeezed between Sukhorechensky and Galkenkevsky low mountain ridges. The reserve is easily approachable by car/coach, as well as by ferry-boat and train (the station Primorskaya) from Vladivostok.
Less marine, than in the Khasan, with colder winter and drier spring and summer.
A standard of the south Ussurian pristine floristic and forest type, in many aspects similar with the Ussuriysky Reserve. It can be called 'botanical reserve' with well preserved and very rich in floristic diversity virgin grove of the Manchurian Fir (Abies holophilla) and Korean Pine - Ash - Maple - Birch forest with various lianas, ferns and flourishing plants. The pristine forests grow along the marvelous narrow valley of the mountain-type river (the River Kedrovaya), with stony bottom, clean water and many branched streams with small waterfalls. The valley is squeezed between two not very high ridges (300-400 m ab. s. l., a part of famous 'Black Mountains', bordering with China), covered with Manchurian-type oak forests and, in the upper part of the river, with mixed East Siberian Fir (Abies nephrolepis) - Yeddo Spruce (Picea jezoensis) - Korea Pine taiga forest. In its lower parts the River Kedrovaya forms the 'Ussurien jungles', with dense thickets. The reserve is fringed by the dry bush-grass fields with small bogs, interesting for the birdwatchers.
More then 150 species of birds, many of which are particular East Asian species, breed in this small reserve, attracted by the pristine forests. Because of the insular character of the reserve, many of the bird species are concentrating here in a great number and can be easily observed on the hiking trail during daily excursion. It is various 'forest buntings' (Gray-headed, Yellow-throated, Tristram's), flycatchers (Tricolor, Blue-and-White, Brown), leaf warblers (Pale-Legged, Crowned, Pallas's), nightingales and robins (Siberian Blue, Rufous-tailed) and thrushes (Gray-backed, Pale, Scaly). In May-June excursion the birdwatcher certainly will meet here Short-tailed Bush Warbler (Urosphaena squameiceps), Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyana), Ashy Minivet (Pericrocotus divaricatus), Chestnut-flanked White-eye (Zosterops erythropleura), Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus) and two 'Chinese' Hawfinches, Masked and Black-tailed (Eophona personata and E. migratoria). Being lucky, one can see the owls (5 species) and Chinese Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter soloensis). For 2-3 hours only during the excursion over dry bush fields on the skirt of the reserve, birdwatcher will see dozens of other interesting species, fist of all, for certain, Manchurian Bush Warbler (Horeites diphone) and Thick-billed Reed Warbler (Phragmaticola aedon) in their breeding settlements, as well as Little Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus), parasitising on the Bush Warbler. At last, in the bush, one can find breeding settlements of Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Suthora webbiana). For tours & excursions see Travel Programs
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