Bird News from Nial Moores with Ashley and Ashton Hopkins, and Cho Sehui (on 27th only)
Three excellent days in mild and sunny weather, with a great mix of species seen.
On 27th, a quick stop in the Guryongpo Harbour before sunrise found four scoters: three Stejneger’s and one which on silhouette at all angles looked much better for Velvet. Unfortunately, the birds flew and could not be re-found.
Checklist on eBird here.
Although the gulling along the main headland was a little underwhelming, the bay held more scoters and Harlequin Duck, good numbers of Temminck’s and a few Pelagic Cormorants, and hundreds of grebes – including 270 Red-necked Grebe , exceptional for here. There were also large numbers of Ancient and nine Long-billed Murrelets (four apparent pairs and one single). We did not spend much time looking for landbirds, but nonetheless enjoyed good views of Meadow Bunting, several mixed flocks of bulbuls and exceptional views of two Warbling White-eyes (one of which started preening the other…beautiful!)
Full checklist on eBird here.
Travelling back to Busan, a stop along a river near Gyeongju produced first a Mute Swan and then a stunning-looking but unsurprisingly confiding Crested Ibis (“18P” in black on yellow band on right tarsus; red band on left tarsus) – the first time any of us had seen one away from the reintroduction scheme at Upo. The day then finished with a flock of 10,000 Rook and about 300 Daurian Jackdaw in the air together – magical.
On 28th, a long drive to Suncheon Bay, where in addition to more than a thousand Hooded and nine White-naped Cranes highlights included a Masked Bunting, an unseasonal Temminck’s Stint, a Rough-legged Buzzard, nine or so of 20+ Cinerous Vulture seen during the day and the first of several stunning Upland Buzzards (seems to be a truly exceptional winter for them here ).
Checklists on eBird here and here
Thanks to eBird reports, we then travelled a further hour southwest to one of the Gohung Reclamation areas where we enjoyed prolonged views of the juvenile Steppe Eagle (one of 4 or so of this globally Endangered species in the ROK this winter), one (or perhaps two?) Pallas’s Gulls, at least nine Upland Buzzard and perhaps as many as five Ferruginous Duck (views were too brief to check all five birds for signs of hybrid influence).
Full checklist on eBird here
On 30th, early morning highlights at the Nakdong Estuary included a second-winter Relict Gull and an adult Steller’s Sea Eagle – both globally Vulnerable species. We then headed to Junam, where three Swan Geese (recently re-assessed by BirdLife as globally Endangered) and based on the small size and reduced black on the head a hybrid Common x Hooded Crane were obvious highlights, followed by a return to the Nakdong Estuary for late afternoon – for three more Steller’s Sea Eagle and the long-staying adult globally Vulnerable Greater Spotted Eagle.
Checklists on eBird here, here and here
