Yongjeong Island, October 12 & 13

Bird News from Tim Edelsten

A walk along the southern mudflat and an afternoon look around Yongyu-do brought at least one unexpected surprise.

The newly-constructed roads intersecting the island are taking quite a toll on the wildlife. The amount of roadkill on them in terms of birds, snakes and other creatures is quite shocking.

1. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus.
2. Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris. A skein of about 25.
3. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos.
4. Eastern Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha.
5. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis.
6. Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor. 76 on the southern mudflat, five at Yongyu-do.
7. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax. One.
8. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea.
9. Great Egret Ardea alba.
10. Little Egret Egretta garzetta.
11. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo.
12. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis. One over the mountain ridge.
13. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo. One still present in their breeding area.
14. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola. Twenty or so.
15. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus. 110+ within view on the southern mudflat.
16. Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. Two or three.
17. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola. One (roadkill) is noteworthy. There are usually only two or three records nationwide per year. This also appears to be a first for the island.This species is unfortunately prone to being killed by traffic due to their habit of feeding in roadside ditches.
18. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata. About 50 on the southern mudflat.
19. Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis. At least 250.
20. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus. One on the saltpans.
21. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia. Seven on the shrimp ponds.
22. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris. One on the southern mudflat.
23. Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis. Twenty or so.
24. Dunlin Calidris alpina. 55 on the southern mudflats.
25. Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris.
26. Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus. Increasing numbers.
27. Heuglin’s Gull Larus heuglini. Two taimyrensis.
28. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis.
29. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. Two still in their regular nest area.”Faster than a speeding bullet”.
30. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major.
31. Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus. Two back on patrol. This species seems to be absent from lowland areas in the summer.
32. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica.
33. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos.
34. Eastern Great Tit Parus minor.
35. Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis.
36. Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. Five or six calling.
37. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Sinosuthera webbiana.
38. Grey-backed Thrush Turdus hortulorum. One hit by a car.
39. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus. Two have returned from their upland breeding areas.
40. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. Including one hit by a car.
41. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea. One shadowing a shrike and sounding the alarm.
42. White Wagtail Motacilla alba. Fair numbers of leucopsis and one or two apparent ocularis on the saltpans.
43. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala. Plentiful.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, © Tim Edelsten

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, © Tim Edelsten

Eurasian Magpie Pica pica, © Tim Edelsten