Gangneung, December 22

Bird News from Robin Newlin, Im Kwang Wan, Jo Seong Sik and Kang Ji-Hye

An early morning dash over cold and snowy mountains to the coast: our target was ducks, especially Smews, and the Guryeongpo Lake and Namdaecheon did not disappoint. Here are the highlights: c. 55 Smews, 50 Common Goldeneyes, 30 Mallards, a dozen Common Pochards, and a few Tufted and Spot-billed Ducks. We saw a few each of Pintail, Common Teal and Greater Scaup. About 12 Eurasian Coots worked the shallows. Scattered Common Mergansers — several at Namdaecheon got into a thrashing scrum when one caught a fish. Five White-tailed Eagles soared well over the ocean at Guryeongpo and another perched a Namdaecheon. Also at the stream: several Saunder’s and Black-headed Gulls, a pair of Lapwings, a calling Chinese Penduline Tit, a Peregrine, a Kestrel, and a Common Snipe.

Smew Mergellus albellus, © Robin Newlin

Smew Mergellus albellus, © Robin Newlin

Smew Mergellus albellus, © Robin Newlin

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, © Robin Newlin

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, © Robin Newlin

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, © Robin Newlin

Common Pochard Aythya ferina, © Robin Newlin

Greater Scaup Aythya marila, © Robin Newlin

Eurasian Coot Fulica atra, © Robin Newlin

Common Merganser Mergus merganser, © Robin Newlin

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