Bird News from Nial Moores
Largely blue skies and warm temperatures (reaching a high of 22°C on the 29th), with the wind swinging from the west on the 28th to the southwest then south on the 29th. Unsurprisingly, there was a large clear-out of migrants.
Major species of note included a well-seen Manchurian Reed Warbler in Yeonhwa Village (at one time flitting through the same bush used by last year’s Slaty-blue Flycatcher – sadly too close to digiscope) and a male Asian Koel heard in the evening very briefly in Jincheon, both on the 28th; and two Hair-crested Drongo in the southwest in the morning on the 29th (one with beautifully up-curled tail feathers; the other, in the image, in “song” but showing much more tail wear).
Other highlights included two Ruddy-breasted Crake, a single Black Drongo, a female Russet Sparrow, a Yellow-breasted Bunting and 12+ Red Crossbill on the 28th; and another Fairy Pitta and Baikal Bush Warbler (both heard only), at least five Black Drongo (including two watched coming in high from the south at dawn); a late Brambling, five Black-faced Spoonbill (including one colour-banded bird), six Chinese Egret and large numbers of recently-hatched Black-tailed Gull seeking shade under adults on the 29th.
