(Dr. Bernhard Seliger, Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, Hanns-Seidel-Foundation and Birds Korea members)
Geese were still there, around a 1000 of them (and more flying in) in the early morning (around 6.30 a.m.) in Siam wetland, but their behavior was very different than in mid-winter. They were extremely nervous and flew off without any seeming reason. Already in the past weeks, thousands of geese, especially most of the Tundra Bean Geese, left the area, while mostly Greater White-Fronted Geese stayed behind. Along Han River, Common Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Greater Scaups were slowly migrating toward the open sea. Most of the large raptors were gone, with only one White-tailed Eagle still lingering on Yudo islet. Eastern Buzzards were still everywhere in the area.
Amur Stonechats were the first real summer visitors to great us, plus, on Yudo islet, in total eight Black-faced Spoonbills. Breeding in the Cormorant colony was in full swing, and Grey Herons also started breeding, though no breeding by Black-faced Spoonbills could be detected yet.
Along the fence bordering the river, Dusky Thrushes and an Olive-back Pipit were seen, plus White-cheeked starlings everywhere, also many Oriental Turtledoves. I wonder, where they go in winter? Obviously, their numbers exploded in the last weeks.
A pair of Far-Eastern Oystercatchers was among the surprise visitors in the area (they are usually rather more in the outer seawards areas).
All in all, another pleasant day in the area. Han Estuary has been the survey of our team since 2018 when we carried out there a project for Gimpo City. In this time, the area saw profound change: a lot of new buildings and structures have been added, mostly some agriculture-related buildings, hothouses, some new touristic facilities, and a more massive fence and installations vis-à-vis the North. Especially with agricultural modernization, also new threats for biodiversity came, like concrete trenches cutting off amphibians and small mammals during their annual migration. For now, this did not affect to a larger extent the wintering grounds of geese – though cranes, before typical visitors to Siam wetland, have not been seen here in a long time, or only for very short stops. But especially large new facilities built just South of the main wetland area might have an even greater impact. Hopefully, authorities will see that there must be a balance of redevelopment wishes and preservation of the few valuable habitats the area provides for fauna and flora.
Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri, one of the earliest spring migrants among the passerines. (© Bernhard Seliger)
White-cheeked starlings Spodiopsar cineraceus on the fence looking over North Korea. (© Bernhard Seliger)
Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus (© Bernhard Seliger)
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – Never get tired of photographing this bird! (© Bernhard Seliger)
Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicus (© Bernhard Seliger)
On a small rock near Yudo islet in Han river: three Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor among Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and some Spot-billed Ducks Anas zonorhyncha (© Bernhard Seliger)
