Monthly Archives: June 2019

Shrikes and kingfishers in Goseong County

While the ever-increasing amount of infrastructure destroys habitats almost everywhere in Korea and also does not stop in the border area, it is still a good place to go year-round to see species rare elsewhere in the country. In the latest short visit to Goseong County in Gangwon-do, at the Northeastern end of South Korea, a divided county in divided Gangwon province, the highlights were three kinds of shrikes (Bull-headed shrike, Brown shrike, Tiger shrike) and three kinds of kingfishers (Common kingfisher, Ruddy kingfisher, Black-capped kingfisher). In preparation of a trip with students of German School Seoul International to the border area, a short survey was carried out on June 25 and the early morning of June 26 along the Seongjongri eco-trail as well as along the wetlands of Hwajinpo and Ganseong Namcheon in Goseong county.

Notable were:

Ruddy Kingfishers were heard in five different locations in and around Hwajinpo and Seongjongri eco-trail.

A black-capped Kingfisher was seen in Hwajinpo, and Common Kingfishers could be spotted there as well as in various other locations.

Tiger shrikes were seen near the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) as well as the Seongjongri eco-trail.

Brown shrikes were seen at the Seongjong-ri eco-trail as well as around Hwajinpo.

A Yellow bittern was nicely perched on reeds at Namcheon of Ganseong, which, sadly enough, is more and more surrounded by heavy buildings projects – apartments from the Ganseong side, and the new over-sized road and bridge towards the sea.

A Chinese Pond Heron was another surprise at Hwajinpo lagoon.

Also, two Brown Dippers were seen in the small stream near Seongjong-Ri eco-trail. 

Finally, a Chestnut-cheeked Starling – a rather interesting record (either suggesting an early southward migrating failed breeder; or indicating local breeding; thanks to NM for this identification!)

A juvenile Bull-headed Shrike Lanius Bucephalus © Bernhard Seliger
Hobby Falco Subbuteo © Bernhard Seliger
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata © Bernhard Seliger
Striated Heron Butorides striata © Bernhard Seliger
Yellow Bittern Ixobryches sinensis © Bernhard Seliger
Grey-backed Thrush Turdus hortulorum © Bernhard Seliger

새와생명의터 정보지; 제주도 비자림로의 붉은해오라기

붉은해오라기Gorsachius goisagi , 2010년 5월 소청도 ©나일 무어스/Birds Korea 제주도의 의뢰로 진행 중인 비자림로 조류상 조사에서 붉은해오라기 3개체가 관찰되었습니다. 6월 11일에 처음 기록된 이후 14일부터 17일에 걸쳐서 소리가 들렸으며 15일에는 먼 거리에서나마 육안으로 관찰할 수 있었습니다. 붉은해오라기는 IUCN에서 위기종(EN)으로 지정한 … read more