Bird News from Andreas Kim
A visit to the Gangjin Bay on the afternoon to check for Whooper Swans turned out to be a very birdy trip. Strong wind and several rain showers made it occasionally uncomfortable. The first stop was at an observation point that now had undergone a dramatic change. A 14km long paved bicycle path had been constructed along the bay and the observation point had been turned into an open board-walk platform. Now it is impossible to see birds from close range as even just opening a car door makes the birds move away – no shielding as it had been there before.
Bicycle path along the bay, © Andreas Kim
New open visitor platform, still under construction, © Andreas Kim<
In the bay ca. 500 to 600 Whooper Swan accompanied by at least 1000 Mallard and about 300 Eastern Spot-billed Duck. Flocks of ducks constantly flying between reed beds and rice fields. Also seen a few Common Goldeneye and one Northern Pintail. In one corner a group of c. 30 Common Merganser with a small group of Spot-billed Ducks could be observed. On a mudflat area along with some swans c. 300 Taiga Bean Geese were mostly roosting while 7 Common Greenshank and 18 Dunlin were busy feeding. Also there one Eurasian Spoonbill, one Great Crested Grebe, one Little Egret and a few Grey Heron. Small numbers of Eurasian Treesparrows, Eurasian Magpie and Brown-eared Bulbul passing by as usual, one Bull-headed Shrike enjoyed a short period of sunshine and a flock of c. 60 Buff-bellied Pipit coming from rice fields was a nice surprise.
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus and ducks, © Andreas Kim
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, © Andreas Kim
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Northern Pintail Anas acuta, © Andreas Kim
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, © Andreas Kim
Mallards Anas platyrhynchos and one Eastern Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha, © Andreas Kim
Eastern Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha, © Andreas Kim
Common Merganser Mergus merganser, © Andreas Kim
Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis and Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, © Andreas Kim
Dunlin Calidris alpina, © Andreas Kim
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, © Andreas Kim
Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus, © Andreas Kim
Between rain showers, © Andreas Kim