Belated Bird news from Todd Burrows
During the period of the 1st to the 17th of June 2014 I visited the Sorae Marsh Ecological Park in Incheon almost daily for birdwatching and photography. I had easy access to the park as my wife’s parents conveniently live a two minute walk from the East Gate. The park contains a mixture of salt marsh, mudflats, fresh and brackish wetlands providing habitat for a variety of bird species. The main walking/cycling track around the edge of the park is raised above the surrounding mudflats and tidal water enters through a gate on the eastern side. The main track is busy with people at times but the well made tracks through the park exclude bicycles and have minimal foot-traffic. Raised boardwalks provide access across the brackish lagoons and there are plenty of small shelters with seats to have a break. Unfortunately the bird hides are mostly poorly positioned. The Observation Deck within the freshwater wetland sits too low to be of any benefit for birdwatching. Toilets are located at the large three storey visitor centre in the south-western corner of the park. The view from the top deck provides a good outlook over the park and surrounding areas.
Constantly calling Oriental Reed Warbler were common within dense reeds and it was in these areas that Yellow Bittern were also quite common. When a bittern entered into the territory of a reed warbler they were more often than not aggressively chased away by the smaller bird. While trying to photograph Yellow Bittern in flight on the 3rd I inadvertently photographed a male Von Schrenck’s Bittern. I was to see this species a few more times during my visits including a male on the 9th calling out in the open along a track on the northern side. Common Moorhen were also heard and sometimes seen crossing the tracks in this habitat. A single male Watercock in breeding plumage was a flyover on the 17th.
Migratory shorebirds were not abundant but I did see Common Redshank most days including pairs exhibiting nesting behaviour in various locations. On one occasion a bird landed on a sign 2m in front of me constantly calling. I saw Common Greenshank a few times along with single Common Sandpiper and Far Eastern Curlew on the 13th.
Zitting Cisticola and Vinous-throated Parrotbill were common in the grassland areas and it was here that I regularly heard and sometimes saw Ring-necked Pheasant. Trees are mostly absent in the park but a small patch on the eastern edge almost always had a Common Cuckoo present with up to four chasing each other around and calling in flight on the 14th.
Black-tailed Gull were ever present in the skies above the park with one showing aggression towards a little dog off the leash. A small group of Little Tern made an appearance on the 2nd feeding over the lagoons in the rain.
Great Egret and Grey Heron were commonly seen hunting around the edges of the lagoons and tidal gate along with Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron and the occasional Striated Heron. Black-faced Spoonbill were also seen feeding in these areas a few times with a maximum number of five birds seen together including two dependent young on the 15th. Eastern Spot-billed Duck and Great Cormorant were common on the water with a pair of Little Grebe and a single eclipse male Mandarin Duck on the 10th.
Common Kestrel was the most abundant of the raptors over the park with a Eurasian Hobby making an appearance on most days (I was pleased to get a decent photo of one moving at speed, low over the marsh). Chinese Sparrowhawk was seen on three occasions with one being driven off by a hobby on the 5th.
Other wildlife of interest seen in the park included Siberian Weasel which were easily attracted into view using pishing. I saw them more than once chasing Vinous-throated Parrotbill through the reeds. More disturbing was the discovery of a dead Finless Porpoise washed up by the tide which had severe injuries consistent with being cut by a sharp blade.
