Three Species to Look Out for This Summer?

Nial Moores, June 28th

Recent years have seen some late June and July additions to the ROK national list, including the nation’s only records of Bridled Tern (found by Kang hee-Man on July 10^th 2006 on Jeju Island: see http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Birdnews/BK-BN-birdnews-2006-07.shtml); Roseate Tern (found on June 29^th 2008 in the Nakdong Estuary:  http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Birdnews/BK-BN-birdnews-2008-06.shtml); and Ashy Woodswallow (on Socheong Island on June 23^rd and 24^th 2009: http://www.birdskorea.or.kr/Forum/Records/5026).  

This year, some exceptional mid-late June records in adjacent areas have already included:

1. A Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus at Kin, Okinawa, Japan (less than 800km from Jeju) in mid-June. It was reported on the Kantori Listserver as present at least until June 15^th.

2. A male Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus coromandelianus found in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China by “Dong Bei” on June 16^th. This was apparently only the second record ever for Laioning Province – but also the second in northern China this year (see: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2467418#post2467418).Dalian is less than 300km from Baekryeong and Socheong islands…

3. A Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis seen by a researcher from the MV Orion II on June 24th, off from Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, Japan (approximately 375km ENE of Busan and 340km from the Guryongpo Peninsula…).  News via Chris Cutler.  Perhaps this species is now as likely (or is more likely?) to occur in Korean waters as Short-tailed.

If you know of more records of potential interest to Korean birders and ornithologists, please add them to the comments section below: thanks!

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