Bird News from Robin Newlin, often with Nial Moores and Tim Edelsten
Since my 5 days on the island fall within the period Dr. Moores’ stay, and to avoid redundancy, the following account lists a few highlights and then gives a full list of birds species seen during my Birdathon effort.
Highlights. The rarities discovered by N.M.—Alpine Leaf Warbler, Tree Pipit, and Mongolian Lark. The surprisingly good numbers of some generally scarce birds, e.g. Yellow-browed Bunting, Yellow-breasted Bunting, and Taiga Flycatcher. Excellent numbers of Olive-backed Pipits, Little Buntings, Chinese Grosbeaks, and Eyebrowed Thrushes. A pair of Northern Boobook—one seen and one heard. A calling Oriental Scops Owl. The amazing Black-tailed Gull colony and the Black-faced Spoonbills. Toward the end of my stay, a single small tree held 4 very active Mugimaki Flycatchers, 1 Asian Brown Flycatcher, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers and a stop-by Radde’s Warbler.
Birdathon: May 4. Species noted by R.N. only during time (limited by rain and other factors) walking slowly around Nonghyup and Sagotri. 70 species. Many thanks to H, J, and L for sponsorship of a very important and worthwhile cause!
- Eastern Spot-billed Duck, 4
- Common Pheasant, 3
- Black-crowned Night Heron, 2
- Striated Heron, 1
- Chinese Pond Heron, 2
- Eastern Cattle Egret, 3
- Grey Heron, 6
- Great Egret, 2
- Intermediate Egret, 1
- Little Egret, 1
- Great Cormorant, 3
- Japanese Sparrowhawk, 1
- Little Ringed Plover, 1
- Green Sandpiper, 2
- Black-tailed Gull, 30
- Oriental Turtle Dove, 2
- Oriental Scops Owl, 1
- Black-capped Kingfisher, 1
- Common Kingfisher, 1
- Eurasian Hoopoe, 1
- Peregrine Falcon, 1
- Eurasian Hobby, 1
- Ashy Minivet, 5
- Brown Shrike, 3
- Black-naped Oriole, 4
- Eurasian Jay, 7
- Large-billed Crow, 2
- Eastern Great Tit, 2
- Light-vented Bulbul, 8
- Brown-eared Bulbul, 5
- Pale Martin, 1
- Barn Swallow, 5
- Korean Bush Warbler, 2
- Dusky Warbler, 4
- Yellow-browed Warbler, 8
- Eastern Crowned Warbler, 1
- Chestnut-flanked White-eye, flock heard
- Grey-backed Thrush, 1
- Eyebrowed Thrush, 2—more heard
- White’s Thrush, 1 seen, other heard
- Dusky Thrush, 1
- Grey-streaked Flycatcher, 2
- Asian Brown Flycatcher, 4
- Blue and White Flycatcher, 2.
- Siberian Blue Robin, 1
- Rufous-tailed Robin, a few heard
- Siberian Rubythroat, a few heard
- Red-flanked Bluetail, 1
- Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, 3
- Taiga Flycatcher, 6
- Blue Rock Thrush, 2
- Stejneger’s Stonechat, 8
- Eurasian tree Sparrow,12
- Eastern Yellow Wagtail, 2
- White Wagtail, 5
- Richard’s Pipit, 1 heard
- Olive-backed Pipit, 19
- Brambling, 12
- Hawfinch, 1
- Chinese Grosbeak, 7
- Grey-capped Greenfinch, 12
- Eurasian Siskin, 20
- Yellow-browed Bunting, 35
- Yellow-throated Bunting, 1
- Little Bunting, 30
- Yellow-breasted Bunting, 4
- Chestnut Bunting, 2
- Tristram’s Bunting, 2
- Chestnut-eared Bunting, 1
- Black-faced Bunting, 7
