Nial Moores, April 13th 2015
During a boat-based survey of the Nakdong Estuary on April 11th, our Birds Korea team (Robin Newlin, Ha Jung Mun, Jason Loghry, Seo Hae-Min and NM) could find only small numbers of shorebirds compared with earlier years, further evidence of massive declines. In total, we found only about 900 Dunlin, 40+ Sanderling, 35 Great Knot, 20+ Bar-tailed Godwit (a few of which were already in sublime breeding plumage), seven Far Eastern Oystercatcher, and small numbers of five other shorebird species (this compares to a count of c. 7,000 Dunlin alone I made here on April 13th 1998). Nonetheless, we were treated to superb views of a small number of Dunlin (and a lone Sanderling) as they started to roost close to our boat.
While fuller details of other species seen will be posted separately, here are a few images (all digiscoped through a superb Swarovski scope) that help to show some of the huge variation in wear and moult shown at this time of year by a few of these amazing, light-weight long-distance travellers…
Dunlin Calidris alpina © Nial Moores
Sanderling Calidris alba © Nial Moores