Bird News from Spike Millington
A surprising number of shorebirds were back at Songdo mudflats on 27 July. Subsequent visits over the next few dates to Gojan high tide roost revealed very variable numbers, indicating that the reclamation activities are probably affecting numbers as they find alternative roost sites in the area. Nearly all birds are in varying stages of summer (breeding) plumage.
Eastern Oystercatcher (5, local breeders)
Black-winged Stilt (3 on Namdong Reservoir on 3 Aug, maybe also local breeders)
Grey Plover (250)
Little Ringed Plover (1 at Namdong Reservoir on 3 Aug, local breeder)
Mongolian Plover (250 on 27 July, very few seen thereafter, so maybe they moved on quickly)
Black-tailed Godwit (150, maybe more, mixed with Bar-taileds)
Bar-tailed Godwit (300)
Whimbrel (at least 20, probably more)
Eurasian Curlew (150)
Far-Eastern Curlew (150)
Spotted Redshank (1)
Common Redshank (5)
Marsh Sandpiper (1)
Common Greenshank (At least 800, probably 1,000 on 27 July, but few after that, except 420 at Namdong Reservoir on 3 August, so I guess good numbers are still in the area)
Terek Sandpiper (620 counted on 3 Aug: late July- early August is typically the peak time for this species)
Common Sandpiper (2)
Ruddy Turnstone (10)
Great Knot (30)
Red Knot (1-2)
Red-necked Stint (50)
Broad-billed Sandpiper (3)
Dunlin (100)
Saunders’s Gull (85 young birds out of 190 present on 27 July indicates a good breeding season locally, a change from last year when very few young birds were seen)