Bird News from Nial Moores with Gil Langfield
A quick birding trip to a few top sites (Yeongjong Island on 4th; Baekryeong Island from 4th PM to 6th; Seosan and Hwaum Temple on 7th; Goseong County on 8th; and several stops in Hwacheon County and Imjingak on 9th) led to a grand total of at least 146 bird species logged. Although a few species were heard only (especially by NM), there were also quite a few well-seen species of note, including several unseasonally late migrants and over-summering species, a few notable breeders, and a couple of outstanding end-of-spring highlights (most especially a Lesser Coucal on the 6th).
Although a highly enjoyable trip (with many great birds, some still-beautiful landscapes, and time in the field shared with Dr. Shim Kyu-Sik and Mr. Lee Yong-Sang on 4th to 6th and with Mr. Mike Friel on the 8th), there was nonetheless daily evidence that the present development model remains ecologically unsustainable. In only six days, we witnessed and photographed bird-shooting near the international airport at Yeongjong (and the killing of a cormorant and apparently of a globally Vulnerable Chinese Egret); ongoing reclamation on the north side of Yeongjong; road and bridge building at Seosan (including close to the Von Schrenck’s site); more road construction materials set-ready in the Hwadong Wetland on Baekryeong (despite multiple formal objections already to this unnecessary road); and the clearing of vegetation and cutting of trees around a patch of woodland in Hwacheon County (Gangwon Province), an area which is supposed to be specially-protected for breeding birds (requiring Birds Korea to send yet another letter of concern to a local government body).
The fifty most notable bird species during the trip were:
- Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons. Three at Seosan on the 7th.
- Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna. Two in the Hwadong Wetland, Baekryeong, on the 6th. The species is listed as W2 in the 2014 Birds Korea Checklist (suggesting there are no records in the summer months). However, one was seen at Seosan on June 24th 2005 and three were seen in Saemangeum in early August 2013, suggesting occasional oversummering.
- Gadwall Anas strepera. A male and a female were at Seosan on the 7th. The 2014 Birds Korea Checklist lists this species as W3 (i.e. as unrecorded in summer).
- Falcated Duck Anas falcata. NT. One was at Seosan on the 7th.
- Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope. Six were at Seosan on the 7th: an exceptional concentration for the summer months
- Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata. One or two at Seosan on the 7th. There are fewer than ten previous records in the summer months known to Birds Korea.
- Common Pochard Aythya ferina. Two males were at Seosan on the 7th. There are fewer than ten previous records in the summer months known to Birds Korea.
- Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula. One at Seosan on the 7th. There are fewer than ten previous records in the summer months known to Birds Korea.
- Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica. One in flight, tentatively assigned to this species, was seen at close range from the ferry between Incheon and Baekryeong on the 8th. This individual was fully-winged and in non-breeding plumage. There are no records of this species in the summer months known to Birds Korea.
- Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris. Two were seen from the ferry off Daecheong Island on the 4th.
- Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor. EN. At least 35 were feeding along the tide-edge at Yeongjong on the 4th; and six or seven adults and one very young chick were seen on Baekryeong on the 5th and 6th.
- Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis. Three were in the Hwadong Wetland on Baekryeong on the 5th with one seen there on the 6th; and 5+ were seen at Seosan on the 7th.
- Von Schrenck’s Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus. One male was well-seen at Seosan on the 7th.
- Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes. VU. Four were seen on Baekryeong and at least six were seen at Yeongjong on the 4th, with one additional bird apparently shot dead at the lagoon northwest of the airport. The species is supposed to be a protected National Natural Monument. Approaches will be made by Birds Korea to determine the legality of shooting protected species during the summer months near Incheon International Airport.
- Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca. Two were heard, but not seen, in the Hwadong Wetland on the 5th, with one still there on the 6th.
- Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus. Thirty were at Seosan on the 7th. However, none were seen at or near the nest, perhaps because water levels are being held unusually high?
- Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius. Seen at several locations, with one actively performing its “broken-wing-distraction” display on Baekryeong on the 4th.
- Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus. One, perhaps a male, was in the Hwadong Wetland on the 6th. This is presumably the first record of this rare southern overshoot in Ongjin County.
- Saunders’s Gull Chroicocephalus saundersi VU. Ten on the tidal-flat at Yeongjong on the 4th included one First-summer.
- Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris. Large numbers of chicks (>500) were seen at the main colony.
- Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus. Successful breeding on Baekryeong was confirmed with three chicks begging an adult and half-a-dozen other sitting birds seen.
- Little Tern Sternula albifrons. Only small numbers (10-20) were seen at Yeongjong and Seosan – with exceptionally high-water levels on Lake A at Seosan meaning only a very small area of the islands were available for nesting birds.
- Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Ten were seen from the ferry between Socheong and Incheon on the 6th.
- Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus. Two were seen from the ferry about 20km south from Socheong on the 4th.
- Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis. One (presumably a Second calendar-year) was seen and heard excellently on Baekryeong Island on the 6th (NM, GL, SKS and LYS). At first it was heard singing from deep inside a bush, before climbing up on a dead tree to sun itself and continue singing. No playback was used – just patience. This is believed to be only the fourth record for Korea, with the first a corpse found on June 9th 2005 near Gunsan; the second photographed on May 1st 2006 on Weiyeon Island; and the third, one photographed on Jeju Island on June 6th 2010.
- Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus. One was heard very briefly again on Baekryeong on June 4th (NM and GL only). This is presumed to be the same one that was heard briefly in the same area in late May. With a male photographed in Okgye on the east coast of Gangwon Province in early June, this means that (at least!) two Koel were present in Korea in early June.
- Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo. One was still present at the regular site near Jeongkok on the 9th.
- Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda. Seven were heard (with perhaps as many as three glimpsed) in Goseong on the 8th and three were heard in Hwacheon County on the 9th, with two of these seen well in flight several times. Based on behavior it seems likely that a pair was nesting in trees affected by construction (see introductory paragraphs).
- Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus. A total of 25-30 were seen on Baekryeong (with 20+ on the 5th), presumably including a mix of migrants and birds intending to breed; and two pairs were present in Hwacheon County with one also seen in Imjingak on the 9th.
- Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus. Four were seen on Baekryeong Island on the 4th (SJS and LSY only).
- Black Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata. NT. A pair was seen well in Goseong County on the 8th (thanks to MF); and a Second calendar-year male (presumably this species) was seen briefly and digiscoped very poorly on the 9th, in Hwacheon County, some distance from the “protected area”, as it moved rapidly up-valley. Although this individual showed multiple features suggesting Asian Paradise T. paradisi incei (including narrow blue eye-ring; contrast between black head and dark grey-black breast; bright rufous on the wing and rufous-purple on the mantle), pure Asian Paradise are believed to show all rufous-tails and pale grey breasts in all plumages.
- Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus. A flock of 10+ juveniles was seen on Baekryeong Island on the 5th (NM, GL, SKS, LYS). Although believed to be resident on Baekryeong, with pairs in several parts of the island in May in both 2013 and 2014, this constitutes the first breeding record of (presumed caudatus) white-headed Long-tailed Tit in the ROK known to Birds Korea. Identification as caudatus (and not magnus) was based on: apparent presence of a white-headed adult with this group (glimpsed by NM); calls, which were typical of white-headed birds; and the white lores and strikingly broad and white central crown shown by all the juveniles.
- Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi. One late migrant was heard on Baekryeong on the 5th.
- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. One or two migrants were heard on Baekryeong on the 5th: an exceptionally late date for spring migrants.
- Kamchatka Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus examinandus. Marginally the commoner of the “Arctic warblers” on Baekryeong, with 6+ heard calling and singing (most on the 5th), with only 3-4 Arctic Warblers P. borealis noted during the same period.
- Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes. In addition to one seen on Baekryeong on the 5th (presumed to be a late migrant) several were heard singing in Hwacheon County and one adult was seen food-carrying with two accompanying short-tailed fledglings on the 9th.
- Manchurian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus tangorum. VU. One long-tailed and ginger-washed small acrocephalus seen poorly by NM, SKS, GL and LYS on Baekryeong on the 6th was presumed (by NM at least!) to be this species.
- Thick-billed Warbler Iduna aedon. One on Baekryeong on the 4th (NM only).
- Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata. Probably five were heard on Baekryeong on the 5th.
- Far Eastern Cisticola Cisticola (juncidis) brunniceps. One was heard singing on Baekryeong on the 6th.
- Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus. Three heard and seen in flight on the 5th and two well seen on the 6th on Baekryeong are unexpectedly late records.
- Daurian Starling Agropsar sturninus. A pair was seen on Baekryeong on the 6th.
- Chinese Blackbird Turdus merula mandarinus. A male and female were seen on Baekryeong between the 4th and 6th, with a female seen food-carrying, indicating nesting. Apparently the species was reported nesting on the island in 2013.
- Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii. Several seen on the river at Hwaum Temple, including at least two well-developed begging juveniles.
- Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans. A pair was seen on Baekryeong on the 5th.
- Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus. One seen well in song on Baekryeong on the 5th was the only record.
- Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi. One on Baekryeong on the 5th is a rather late record.
- Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi. One at Seosan on the 7th (NM only) is a late record.
- Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra. Several were heard on Baekryeong on the 5th and 6th.
- Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola. Endangered. One well-seen at Seosan on the 7th is a rather late record.
In addition, we enjoyed excellent views of an Amur Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus at Seosan on the 7th.