Igidae, east Busan, November 11 and 17

Bird News from Nial Moores

Three hours were spent in the local park on the 11th (covering c. 5km of trails) followed by ten hours there on the 17th, covering c. 9km of up-and-down trails. Weather on both dates was sunny, with a light westerly wind (F1-3), rather cooler on the 17th with temperatures at 0730 of c.7°C rising to a high of 14°C during the day. A total of 52 species were logged on the combined dates, including a few interesting records.

  1. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus. Probably five.
  2. Temminck’s Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus. At least 20 on the 11th and 5 on the 12th, including several birds gaining height on the 11th. Two or three flocks containing 1800+Cormorants flying SW from Oryeok on the 11th were either Temmick’s or Great (or a mix of the two species).
  3. Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis. One on the 11th.
  4. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus. Five on the 11th and one on the 17th.
  5. Black Kite Milvus migrans. One on the 17th.
  6. Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicus. One on the 11th and one on the 17th.
  7. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus. About ten on both the 11th and 17th.
  8. Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris. Fifty on the 11th and five on the 17th.
  9. Vega Gull Larus vegae. Thirty on the 11th and five on the 17th.
  10. Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus. Two on the 17th.
  11. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis. 10+ on the 11th; two on the 17th.
  12. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki. Probably ten on both dates.
  13. White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos. One on the 11th and two on the 17th. Yet again, the impression is that these birds are noticeably stronger in the neck and bill than birds seen on Ulleung, with much more white in the upperparts.
  14. White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, © Nial Moores
  15. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Singles on both dates.
  16. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. One on 11th.
  17. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. Two on 11th.
  18. Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus. Three on the 17th, including one preying on a parrotbill, taken from near the ground at a pre-roost.
  19. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius. Three on the 11th and two on the 17th.
  20. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius, © Nial Moores
  21. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica. Present on the 11th and probably 25 on the 17th.
  22. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos. Four or five on both dates.
  23. Coal Tit Periparus ater. Probably 10 on the 11th and 30+ on the 17th (with much larger area covered on the latter date).
  24. Coal Tit Periparus ater, © Nial Moores
  25. Varied Tit Sittiparus varius. Probably ten on the 11th and 30 on the 17th, including one roosting in a street lamp. All birds that were seen well on both dates looked smaller- and blunter-billed than birds on Ulleung; showed clean orange and blue plumage tones, i.e. showed no admixing of rufous-orange into the upperpart blue; showed obvious paler creamy-rufous areas on the head, breast, and in many cases through the central breast and belly; and showed paler cream-rufous “spurs” when seen head-on.
  26. Varied Tit Sittiparus varius, © Nial Moores

    Varied Tit Sittiparus varius, © Nial Moores

    Varied Tit Sittiparus varius, © Nial Moores

    Varied Tit Sittiparus varius, © Nial Moores
  27. Marsh Tit Poecile palustris. Two on the 11th and five on the 17th.
  28. Eastern Great Tit Parus minor. Perhaps 30 on the 11th and 75 on the 17th. None gave the Marsh Tit-type call heard on Ulleung earlier in the month.
  29. Far Eastern Skylark Alauda japonica. One heard on the 17th.
  30. Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis. Two on the 17th. Personal third record of this species in Busan, with previous records being singles in the Nakdong Estuary and in Igidae.
  31. Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis, © Nial Moores
  32. Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis. Probably 50 on the 11th and 100 on the 17th, including one group of 27 seen to head south on the latter date.
  33. Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis, © Nial Moores

    Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis, © Nial Moores
  34. Japanese Bush Warbler Horornis diphone. Two on the 11th and three on the 17th.
  35. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus. 20+ on the 11th and 50+ on the 17th.
  36. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Sinosuthera webbiana. 30+ on the 11th and >300 on the 17th, including one pre-roost of c. 150 birds.
  37. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Sinosuthera webbiana, © Nial Moores

    Vinous-throated Parrotbill Sinosuthera webbiana, © Nial Moores
  38. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus. Twenty on the 11th, when seven gained height to depart south before dropping back into cover, and c.30 on the 17th.
  39. Goldcrest Regulus regulus. Probably 15 on the 11th and 50+ on the 17th.
  40. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes. Three on the 11th and probably 15+ on the 17th, including two birds singing at each other.
  41. White’s Thrush Zoothera aurea. One on the 17th.
  42. Pale Thrush Turdus pallidus. Five on the 11th and 8-10 on the 17th.
  43. Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus. Three or more heard on the 17th.
  44. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus. Three on the 11th (including one adult male) and perhaps 6-7 on the 17th.
  45. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus. Probably ten on the 11th and 17th.
  46. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius. Two or three present on both dates.
  47. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. 10+ on the 17th.
  48. Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella. 5+ heard on the 11th and four (two seen) on the 17th. This species tends to be quite scarce in lowland areas of Busan and is usually absent from this park except during migration.
  49. Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella, © Nial Moores
  50. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea. One on the 11th.
  51. White Wagtail Motacilla alba. Two on the 17th.
  52. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni. Two or three on both dates.
  53. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens. Two on the 11th and one on the 17th – reduced numbers since the “beautification” of the open land near SK.
  54. Brambling Coelebs montifringilla. Probably 30 on the 11th and five on the 17th.
  55. Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula. Three heard overhead on the 17th.
  56. Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica. Five or so on the 11th and 17th.
  57. Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus. Probably 50 on the 11th and 20 on the 17th.
  58. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica. Two heard on the 17th.
  59. Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans. Probably 150 on the 11th and 100 on the 17th, including one moribund first-year with a large mite attached to its orbital eye-ring or eye.
  60. Grey Bunting Emberiza variabilis. Two to three heard and in the same area, one male and one female seen (both briefly!) on the 17th.

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