Igidae Busan, December 5

Bird News from Nial Moores

A four-hour walk from the Birds Korea office through a very dry and rather disturbed Igidae to SK View, covering most of the same areas e.g. in mid-April (see bird news archives)..  The weather was mild (max 13-14C) with light winds and sunny periods. Highlights among the 43 species recorded were three Yellow-bellied Tit and several small flocks of migrating Baikal Teal. The low point was having to see and hear yet more habitat “improvement” – the new green deal of the past few years – with the open ground at SK View under the bulldozers – again.

A full list follows:

1. Baikal Teal Anas formosa. A total of 320 (flocks of 60, 30, 70, 40, 120) were seen. These included 60 flying overland towards the southwest; and the remainder in flocks heading south low over the water during 30 minutes of observation just before and at dusk. One of these flocks rested on the sea, before being flushed by two Finless Porpoise. This is my first record of this species at Igidae and my first time to see groups in obvious migration over the sea.
2. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus. One on the sea.
3. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. Six were roosting at the base of the Gwangali Bridge.
4. Temminck’s Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus. Thirty were roosting on Gwangali Bridge (close enough for specific identification) and at least 1200 were at the roost on Oryuk Islet at 1700hrs. It is not clear if this roost also contained Great Cormorant that feed in the Nakdong Estuary.
5. Black Kite Milvus migrans. One over SK View.
6. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus. Around 30 were off Igidae.
7. Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris. Around 10 were off Igidae, and 20 off SK View.
8. Common Gull Larus canus. One off SK View.
9. Vega Gull Larus vegae. At least 85 passed south off Oryuk Islet in the evening during only 30 minutes of observation.
10. Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus. Three were off SK View.
11. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis. A total of ten, including one fresh-fringed bird of the year.
12. Feral Pigeon Columba livia var. “domestica”. A total of six.
13. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki. A total of 11 seen or heard.
14. White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos. One well-watched.
15. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major At least two seen and one or more heard.
16. Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus.  Three heard – all after sunset.
17. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius. Three.
18. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica. At least 39, most toward the north end of Igidae.
19. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos At least 11.
20. Marsh Tit Poecile palustris. One heard.
21. Varied Tit Poecile varius. A total of six seen or heard (those that were seen were all cleanly “blue and orange”).
22. Coal Tit Periparus ater. Eight heard or seen.
23. Yellow-bellied Tit Periparus venustulus.  Three: two in the same area as on the 2^nd; and one towards the main gully.
24. Eastern Great Tit Parus minor.  A total of 26 seen or heard.
25. Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis. A total of 29 seen or heard.
26. Japanese Bush Warbler Horornis diphone. One heard.
27. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus. At least 40 were at the southern end of Igidae. All those seen weremagnus.
28. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Sinosuthera webbiana. Remarkably scarce – with only 35, all at the southern end.
29. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus. Seven seen or heard.
30. Goldcrest Regulus regulus. Present in decent numbers, with at least 32 heard or seen.
31. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes. Four.
32. Pale Thrush Turdus pallidus. Two heard near the main gully.
33. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus.  Nine heard or seen.
34. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius. Two males.
35. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. A total of only six.
36. White Wagtail Motacilla alba. One heard.
37. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni. Five.
38. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens. Three near SK View.
39. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla.  Fifteen.
40. Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica. Two.
41. Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus. Five.
42. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica. One.
43. Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans. A total of 185, making it by far the commonest landbird recorded on this day.

Juvenile > First-winter Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis, © Nial Moores

White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, © Nial Moores

Open ground at SK View, with “parkified” headland overlooking the Oryuk Islets behind, © Nial Moores