Tag Archives: Greater Sand Plover

Gageo Island, April 18-19

Bird News from Nial Moores

In fair weather on 18th, 71 species logged in the afternoon in 1-Gu. Birds of note included a single Latham’s Snipe, two Black Woodpigeon, six Yellow Bunting, two Brown-headed Thrush, single Yellow-rumped and Narcissus Flycatchers, one or two Citrine Wagtail, a Chinese Blackbird, a probable female Black Redstart and four Eurasian Wryneck. On the mossy slab, two Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a Great Knot, two Red-necked Stint, four Kentish Plover and best of all single Greater Sand Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit – the latter a female menzbieri beautifully adorned with bands: metal ring on right tibia (including sequence of 107?); Yellow over Yellow on right tarsus; and on left tarsus, Yellow flag above Red over Red bands. A local shopkeeper first saw this bird on April 16th.

In overcast conditions with occasional rain and strengthening SE winds, incomplete survey suggested fewer birds in the morning – with no sign of the Great Knot (fortunately – as very little if any food for such a species here) – and a small arrival ongoing through the afternoon. In total, 74 species logged, with new birds in including Northern House Martin (1-2), Asian House Martin (30+) (and one apparently all brown martin…), Red-billed Starling (3), Oriental Reed (1) and Sakhalin or Pale-legged Leaf Warblers (3) and two male Blue-and-white Flycatcher. Narcissus Flycatcher increased to four, a group of Greater Short-toed Lark in the village increased from five to nine, and on the mossy slab the Bar-tailed Godwit and Greater Sandplover were joined for a while by a Glaucous-winged Gull – presumably a first record for Gageo and one of the first records in the southwest of this species away from Jeju.

Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens. Image © Nial Moores

Greater Sand Plover Limosa lapponica. Image © Nial Moores

Banded Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica. Image © Nial Moores