Daejin-Geojin, Marine Bird Survey, January 18-19

Bird News from Nial Moores with Dr Bernhard Seliger and Dr Choi Hyun-Ah of the Hanns Seidel Foundation

Birding highlights of this Birds Korea-Hanns Seidel Foundation marine bird survey of the Korean inner border/  Daejin-Geojin coast included seven (!) species of alcid, one of which was either a fairly standard-looking Little Auk or an odd-looking Least Auklet; huge numbers of loons, including two Yellow-billeds; an all-dark shearwater (tentatively identified as a Short-tailed); and huge numbers of gulls, including two Glaucous-winged and at least one Caspian-type.

Most abundant species among the >36,000 birds counted were Common Gull (13,200), Arctic Loon (5,500), Slaty-backed Gull (4,350), Pelagic Cormorant (3,900), Rhinoceros Auklet (2,500), Ancient Murrelet (2,400) and Pacific Loon (1,000).   Additional records of note included a decent count of 240 American Scoter, three Brunnich’s and two Common Murres, eight Spectacled Guillemot, five Long-billed Murrelet, single Cinereous Vulture, two White-tailed Eagle, a half-dozen Naumann’s Thrush (one of which looked to have substantial Dusky Thrush influence) and at least three Siberian Accentor.

 

rs-americanscoterDSC05832American Scoter Melanitta americana © Nial Moores

rs-ybloon-IMG_5439Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii © Bernhard Seliger

rs-gullsDSC05875Mixed gull flock containing several thousand Common Gull Larus canus flock off Daejin (the excellent January Pension is the red-roofed white building in the background) © Nial Moores

rs-cachinnanstype-DSC05866Caspian-type gull Larus cachinnans-type on right with Vega and Slaty-backed Gulls © Nial Moores. On land, the bird had long, very thin looking yellowish-grey legs. The bird was not seen in flight, however.

rs-glaucous-wingedDSC05849Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens © Nial Moores

rs-brunnich's5526Brunnich’s Murre Uria lomvia © Bernhard Seliger

rs_common murre5841Common Murre Uria aalge © Bernhard Seliger

rs-rhino_BSRhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata © Bernhard Seliger

rsnaumanns-DSC05762Naumann’s ThrushTurdus naumanni (apparently with some Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus influence) © Nial Moores

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