(Dr. Bernhard Seliger and Dr. Choi Hyun-Ah, Hanns-Seidel-Foundation and Birds Korea)
Our 6th survey this year in Han Estuary brought a mix of rain and sometimes spectacular clear views of Yudo islet and North Korea across the Han river. Birdwise, there were no surprises. Bird migration is going on, with a flock of small waders (probably stints?) in the Han river, a few other waders here and there, and Eastern Yellow wagtails. Black-faced spoonbills and Great Cormorants almost completely deserted the area, while Black-tailed Gulls steadily moved in – in winter peak there can be thousands of them in the area. A surprise was a Long-billed Plover (the first to record in five years of surveys) in the rather degraded fishing pond. Tree sparrows already formed flocks of several dozens to several hundreds (the reported decline of them elsewhere does certainly not apply to this area), while Vinous-throated Parrotbills still were only in small groups and almost not vocal.
On the North Korean side, a lot of border fortification was going on, and, unfortunately, on the South Korean side in that place, where in early and in late winter sometimes Swan geese can be seen in large flocks, some digging was going on. Since the Swan geese are dependent on certain roots in the area, let´s hope these were not destroyed.
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo 새호리기 (© Bernhard Seliger)
Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis 긴발톱할미새, a common passant migrant (© Bernhard Seliger)
Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus 흰목물떼새, first record, since we started regular surveys in the area in 2018. (© Bernhard Seliger)
Juvenile Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis 긴발톱할미새(© Bernhard Seliger)
Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis 개개비 (© Bernhard Seliger)