Dr Nial Moores, National Director, Birds Korea
Coverage was almost unbroken on Baengnyeong (aka the “Big B”) during the peak northward migration period this year, with up to three teams of birders on some dates counting visible migration or driving and walking around the island, including several Birds Koreans and Ian Davies and Alli Smith from the eBird team.
The weather was largely unremarkable throughout with the exception of rain on May 3rd and a slow-moving rain band working south over the Bohai and then across the whole of the Yellow Sea on May 7th, both of which deposited large numbers of birds on the island. These included two island firsts, bringing up the island’s bird list to an impressive 403 species since 2013.
Probably more than 210 species were reliably recorded on the island during this period alone, with one of the highlights more than a thousand Black-naped Oriole “through” in ten days, including a presumed national high day-count of 305 seen moving off-island on May 10th!
We also enjoyed presumably record-breaking national high day-counts of Japanese Grosbeak, with 151 counted heading east on May 6th; another big day for Wood Sandpiper, with 1,600+ on May 7th; the island’s first Asian Dowitcher on May 3rd; two Tibetan Sand Plover (on May 4th-6th at least), constituting only the second adequately documented record for the ROK; a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (island second record, first sight record, on May 5th), two Claudia’s Leaf Warblers heard on May 7th (only 5-6 previous national records), two Tickell’s Leaf Warbler seen in a single bush on May 8th, and two Yellow-streaked Warblers – confirming their annual status on this island.
In addition, most of the regular species were in more or less expected numbers considering the generally fine weather – with e.g., groups of Japanese and Chinese Sparrowhawks, Grey-faced Buzzards and Crested / Oriental Honey Buzzards on several dates and a high day count of nine or so Amur Falcons; a peak day count of about 50 Brown Shrike; small numbers of chats (including probably five or more Bluethroat at peak, good for here, but disappointingly small numbers of the usually much commoner Siberian Rubythroat) and flycatchers; good numbers of Eastern Yellow Wagtails, with e.g. 220 through the northeast fields on May 5th; peak counts only in the low hundreds of Olive-backed Pipit (far reduced from the counts of multiple thousands some years); and Black-faced, Little and Chestnut the three most numerous of the 13 bunting species logged during this period.
Surprisingly, although numbers of Light-vented Bulbul remained as high as expected, numbers of white-eyes this year were much lower than in 2025 (and in some previous years), with the largest flock of Swinhoe’s White-eye “only” 30-35.
More on some of the more notable records follows:
Stejneger’s Scoter Melanitta stejnegeri 검둥오리사촌. Ian Davies (ID) and Alli Smith (AS) counted 274 off the south side on May 3rd (https://ebird.org/checklist/S332271601) – a high count for so late in the spring.
Garganey Spatula querquedula 발구지. More than 30 were present in early May, with a high count of 50 on May 3rd made by Andy Lee’s team (https://ebird.org/checklist/S333341124), the second highest day count for the island.
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus 밤색날개뻐꾸기. One was glimpsed by Nial Moores (NM), Rebecca Hartman (RH) and John Kitcher (JK) at close range flying into a group pines and bushes in the northeast fields during a morning of heavy visible migration on May 5th (https://ebird.org/checklist/S333012835). A small and sadly unsuccessful twitch ensued…This is the only second record for the Big B of this national rarity, with the first one heard calling by NM and Shim Kyu-Sik on May 4th 2017.
Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica 홍비둘기. Perhaps annual on the island. Two were claimed, without details (beyond one male and one female) in Jinchon by Mattias Nilsson on May 11th,
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 흰배뜸부기. Perhaps annual on the island. One in Jinchon on April 28th (NM); and two in Junghwadong on May 11th (NM).
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus 민댕기물떼새. One at Junghwadong on May 2nd-3rd (NM & JK), and one heard during the very early morning of May 11th (NM)
Tibetan Sand Plover Anarhynchus atrifrons 검은이마왕눈물떼새. Two found on Sagot beach by NM, JK and RH on May 4th remained in the same area until at least the 6th. This was the first island record, and apparently only the second national record documented with a photograph. For a fuller discussion of ID of this recently split species, please see here.
Little Curlew (Little Whimbrel) Numenius minutus 쇠부리도요. A rather poor showing of this species this year, with only three found: one in Yeonhwari on May 4th and 5th; one found in the rice-fields near Kongdol Beach by Park Cheong Woon on 5th (thank you for contacting us to let us know); and one at the Hwadong Wetlands on 7th (ID & AS).
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 흑꼬리도요. An island high-count of 79-80 was made in the central rice-fields on May 7th, with this flock watched departing north soon after their discovery (https://ebird.org/checklist/S333959890) (ID & AS and separately NM & JK).
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus 큰부리도요. An absolutely stunning bird in full breeding plumage was found by NM, JK and RH in the Pukbori Rice-fields on May 3rd. This is the first island record of this globally Near Threatened species, which is usually only recorded about five or so times each year at the national level.
Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura 바늘꼬리도요. As in previous years, based on calls, by far the most numerous snipe through the island in early May, with e.g., 30+ in the Harrier Fields on May 1st (NM, Andy Lee [AL], Kim Seon-U [KSU], Justin Lee [JL] & Sung Kimin [SK]); 33 (and 14 unidentified snipes) counted departing the Hwadong Wetland by ID & AS on May 4th; 52 departing the island on the evening of May 5th (ID & AS); and a flock of 88 – probably all of this species – seen departing northeast over Simcheonggak on May 7th (NM, ID, AS & RK).
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 알락도요. As in previous years, the most numerous shorebird recorded on the island, with a conservative 1,600 counted in the north of the island (NM & JK) and the centre of the island (ID & AS) on May 7th, this being a combination of grounded birds and flocks in active departure. This number is rather similar to the estimated 2,000 seen crossing the island, mostly in the late afternoon and early evening of May 7th 2024
Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta 종달도요. The only stint found in decent numbers this year, with a high count of at least 25 in the Pukbori rice-fields.
Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris 괭이갈매기. Dr Lee Ki-sup (LKS) estimated 25,000 (most presumably at the main colony) on May 8th.
Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor 저어새. LKS estimated 60 on the island on May 8th – a new island high count of this globally Vulnerable but rapidly recovering species.
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 붉은왜가리. Remarkably scarce this spring, with one seen in a wetland next to the Baengnyeong Reclamation Lake on May 4th (ID & AS) and 5th (NM, Kim Young-Gul & Tony Lee).
Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos 알락개구리매. A decent spring for this typically scarce migrant, with a male and female over Simcheonggak on April 25th (NM); a male through JInchon on May 1st (NM); and further singles on May 4th (ID, AS) and 5th (ID, AS) and 9th (ID, AS).
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 꾀꼬리. Singles in late April, and thanks to several mornings of viz-migging by ID, AS and NM, a minimum of 1,007 counted in the first half of May. Highest day counts of birds departing the island were 123 on May 5th; 168 on May 6th; 111 on May 7th; 136 on May 9th; 305 on May 10th (presumed to be a new national high day-count); and 142 on May 11th. It is worth noting that the migration period of this species extends into late May (with a high count in 2024 of 168 on May 14th that year).
Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei 연노랑눈썹솔새. Singles heard in the northwest on April 30th (NM) and May 6th (ID & AS).
Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii 쇠긴다리솔새사촌. One was calling in the Hwadong Wetland on April 29th (NM, Choi Hyun-Ah, Park Cheong-Woon et al.) and one was calling and singing in the northwest on May 10th (NM).
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis 노랑배솔새사촌. Recorded annually on Baengnyeong, with the Big B generating perhaps a fifth or more of recent ROK records (?). One was found in the southwest on May 7th (ID & AS); at least two were present there in the same area on 8th (NM & JK), and one was still present there on 9th (LKS).
Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi 큰밭종다리. There were at least two days with good numbers seen on the island, with the highest day count a very conservative 35 (quite probably more than 50) on May 5th in the northeast estimated by NM.
Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata 큰부리밀화부리. Small numbers were found in several areas of the island in early May, with the first decent flock 30 found on May 5th (AL, KSU, JL & SK). Subsequently, 151 were counted flying northeast from Sincheonggak on May 6th (ID & AS) – presumably a new national high count; and 131 were seen during viz-migging there on May 7th (ID, AS, NM, JK), with 14 still present in the southwest that afternoon.
Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola 검은머리촉새. Although the peak period for this Critically Endangered species was not covered, the conservatively made high count of 135 on May 10th in the northeast fields seemed encouraging.
Baengnyeong Island is the most species-diverse hotspot in the ROK, lying as it does on a major migration corridor across the Yellow Sea, with an excellent diversity of habitats still, including wetlands.
Research by Birds Korea confirms that the island meets Ramsar criteria for identification as an internationally important wetland, with three waterbird species in internationally important concentrations; and at least 29 globally threatened bird species and ~49 nationally threatened bird species have been recorded on the island by our research since 2013. At least ten of these species are / were breeding species.
In recognition of this oustanding importance, efforts need to be taken urgently by decision-makers at a range of scales (local, in Incheon City, and nationally) to support islanders in their efforts to conserve this biodiversity; and to help Baengnyeong move away from the current concrete-it-all mindset that still grips some on the island.
Managed properly, this island would soon become a magnet for environmental tourism and for environmental education programs, generating jobs, attracting central government money, and helping Ongjin County to become a national leader in sustainability.
