Various Sites, March 15-22 | Birds Korea Blog

Nial Moores with Team Thai

A highly enjoyable week of late winter / early spring birding in mostly mild and bright weather, with the six members of “Team Thai” (Kamol Komolphalin, Patcharee Komolphalin, Jindarat Visetruangrote, Penchun Iamchum, Pornkasem Kantamara and Pongsuda Vongsingha). Together, we visited Yeongjong Island (March 15^th and 22^nd); Cheorwon and Paju (March 16^th); Song Do’s Dongmak lagoon and Seosan Lake A (March 17^th); Geum River and North River (March 18^th, the only day of inclement weather); Chungju and Namiseom (March 19^th); the Northeast Coast (March 20^th and 21^st); and Namhansanseong (March 22^nd).

Helped by excellent directions to a couple of the sites (by Ha Jung Mun and Robin Newlin), and with access to the CCZ (most kindly arranged by Pastor Jung, Peter Jiseok), we enjoyed excellent views of a wide range of species. Highlights included all of Korea’s most attractive regular wintering duck species (including Scaly-sided Merganser, Baikal Teal, Falcated Duck, Mandarin Duck and Harlequin Duck); three species of crane (Red-crowned, White-naped and Hooded); a nest-building pair of Brown Dipper, a drumming Black Woodpecker and a “singing” Hazel Grouse; nationally-rare species (finding an apparent Ferruginous Duck or perhaps more likely a Ferruginous x Baer’s, at Yeongjong on the 15th, a griseiventris Eurasian Bullfinch in Cheorwon on the 16th, a breeding-plumaged Oriental Plover at Seosan on 17th, and two Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, as well as seeing the long-staying Great Grey Shrike at Chungju); and a mix of other residents, over-winterers and early spring migrants (e.g. Far Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and Japanese Waxwing). More detailed accounts and images (as always, taken handheld through a superb Swarovski scope) will be posted separately in the near future.