Bird News by Jason Loghry
Surveying Yubu-do most specifically for Spoon-billed Sandpiper, some difficulty was had as human pressure was notably high. Due to disturbance, birds flushed on several occasions at high tide on both days of the survey, including Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
Fortunately, 6 individual Spoon-billed Sandpipers were recorded, (juv., post-breeding, non-breeding). Also recorded was one Nordmann’s Greenshank on the morning of the second foraging near one of the Spoonies.
Other species observed included between 15-20 Saunders’s Gulls on both days, Dunlin, Terek Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Grey Plover, Mongolian Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Kentish Plover, a few Broad-billed Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, one Common Redshank, one Grey-tailed Tattler, a flock of close to 900 Far Eastern Curlew, including some Eurasian Curlew, a couple hundred Far Eastern Oystercatchers, and two Bar-tailed Godwits. Bean Geese were on the tidal flat in the early morning hours of the 2nd, with a few flocks of up to 40 Greater White-fronted Geese flying over in V-form. Also interesting was an Oriental Honey Buzzard flying in a southern direction in the early morning of the same date. Other raptors included 2 Peregrine Falcon, a Eurasian Hobby, a Kestrel, and an Osprey.
On the island, a Long-tailed Shrike, Bull-headed Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler, Oriental Reed Warbler, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Black-faced Bunting, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, and pipits in flight calling.