Dr. Bernhard Seliger and Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi (Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea, Birds Korea), Lara Dommitzsch (HSF Korea), Minjae Baek (EAAFP), Shin Dong-Ho (EAAFP)
Last Friday, June 20, was mainly notable for the amounts of rain pouring down the whole day. Had we not preplanned to meet with the EAAFP team, maybe we would have canceled the trip. Like this, it was a great trip with very few birds, and almost no good views, with one exception, but very good talks and pleasant company. Unfortunately, due to the weather, all we could do was drive through the rice fields and occasionally stop, with only the most obvious birds seen – among them, albeit briefly, one Chinese Sparrowhawk. But the biggest surprise came right at the beginning, when we visited Hak reservoir: two immature Greater White-Fronted Geese who seem to have missed the opportunity to migrate northwards. I am not aware, how often this happens, but for me these were the first June geese in Korea – usually, the late geese sometimes seen until early April either migrate finally late, or maybe are too sick and do not survive.
You can find the complete bird lists at:
Hak Reservoir and surroundings: https://ebird.org/checklist/S252259234
Baekmakoji to Crane village: https://ebird.org/checklist/S252259233
Hantangang and surroundings: https://ebird.org/checklist/S252259232
Pic 1: Greater White-Fronted Geese Anser albifrons 쇠기러기 in summer in Cheolwon – what a surprise! (© Bernhard Seliger)
Pic 2: Wet birding at Hak Reservoir – strangely enough, the bird hide is constructed in a way that a maximum of rain can enter the observation area (© Hyun-Ah Choi)