Bird News from Patrick Blake
Spent the Chuseok holiday on Gageo-do, hoping to catch some migrants on their movement south. Weather throughout the trip was perfect, with predominantly clear sunny skies; this was probably the reason there was a decided lack of migrants. However, several unusual and unexpected species were observed. Highlights include Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler, Long-tailed Shrike, Brown Shrike, and some good pelagic birding on the ferries to and from Gageo-do. See below for more information.
- Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas – a single bird on the ride out to Gageo-do near Tae-do; 3 separate birds around Gageo-do on the return trip
- Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma monorhis – 30+ on the way to Gageo-do; 40+ on the return trip
- presumed Band-rumped Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro – 3 individual birds observed amid Swinhoe’s Storm Petrels on the way to Gageo-do. Clearly seen white rump on an overall dark-colored storm petrel; ruled out Leach’s Storm Petrel because of rounded tail (not forked) and no appearance of a small dark stripe across the white rump band (although not all Leach’s show this stripe; some Leach’s do not show a white rump at all). No photos were possible (outside access is restricted on the ferry), but the white rump was clearly obvious during the observations, so Swinhoe’s is unlikely
- Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus – 1 bird in Gageodo-ri on the 6th; 3 birds on the 8th and 9th
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – 15+ at the main harbor in Gageodo-ri most days
- Eastern Great Egret Ardea a. modesta – 1 at the main harbor in Gageodo-ri on the 7th; 2 on the 9th
- Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva – 1 on the pebble beach at Gageodo-ri on the 6th and 7th
- Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus – 1 on the pebble beach at Gageodo-ri on the 6th
- Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii – 1 flushed at the Sky Park near Gageodo-ri on the 6th; 1 flushed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola – common, with 3-5 being seen most days
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – 2 observed on the 7th
- Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres – 2 observed on the 7th
- Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis – 1 observed at Gageodo-ri on the 7th; 6 observed there on the 9th
- Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta – 1 observed at Gageodo-ri on the 9th
- Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus – 12 observed on the ferry ride near Heuksan-do on the 6th
- Black Wood Pigeon Columba janthina – 1 observed on the 8th
- White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus – 5 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Pacific Swift Apus pacificus – 10+ observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis – 1 observed near Gageodo-ri on the 6th; 1 observed in the interior mountains on the 8th
- Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis – 1 observed at Gageodo-ri on the 6th; 1 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla – 1 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos – 1 heard calling near Sam-gu on the 8th
- Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – 1 or 2 observed most days around Gageodo-ri
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus – 1 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th; 2 observed near Sam-gu and the interior mountains on the 8th
- Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus – 1 juvenile observed near Gageodo-ri on the 9th
- Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus – 2 observed; 1 around Gageodo-ri on the 6th, 8th, and 9th; a second at Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach – 2 observed; 1 at the Sky Park near Gageodo-ri on the 7th; 1 observed at Hangri-maeul, also on the 7th
- Varied Tit Poecile varius – 3 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th; 5+ observed near Sam-gu on the 8th
- Eastern Great Tit Parus minor – 5+ observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th; 2 observed near Sam-gu on the 8th
- Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis – common around the villages; usually 30-40+ per day
- Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis – not as common as the LVBU; usually 10+ per day
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – 2 or 3 observed each day; 12+ observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus – most common warbler observed; 10+ on the 7th and 8th
- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus – 1 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th; 3+ in Sam-gu on the 8th
- Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus – 1 observed near Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes – 1 heard along the interior of the island on the 8th
- Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella ochotensis – 1 observed near the Sky Park at Gageodo-ri on the 6th and 7th
- Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus – very common; 100+ per day
- Pale Thrush Turdus pallidus – 8+ heard and observed in the interior of the island on the 8th
- Grey-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta – very common; 10+ observed most days, especially around Gageodo-ri and the western road leading to Hangri-maeul
- Siberian Blue Robin Larvivora cyane – 1 observed along the central road leading to Gageodo-ri on the 8th
- Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius – very common around the villages; 5+ observed each day
- Stejneger’s Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri – 1 observed at the Sky Park by Gageodo-ri on the 6th
- Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis – 1 observed at Gageodo-ri on the 7th; 3 observed there on the 9th
- Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea – common; 3-5 observed each day, especially around Gageodo-ri
- White Wagtail Motacilla alba leucopsis – common; 4+ observed each day, especially around Gageodo-ri
- Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi – 3 observed at Hangri-maeul on the 7th
- Chinese Grosbeak Eophona migratoria – a large flock of around 30+ birds observed atop the ridge above Gageodo-ri on the 7th
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva, © Patrick Blake
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, © Patrick Blake
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, © Patrick Blake
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach, © Patrick Blake
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus, © Patrick Blake
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus, © Patrick Blake
Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella ochotensis, © Patrick Blake
Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus, © Patrick Blake