Bird News and commentary from Nial Moores, Birds Korea
Another self-funded trip out to the national top migrant hotspot of Baengnyeong Island to get a better sense of how some of the late spring migrants might be faring – as part of research relating to the proposed airport and also for revision of the Birds Korea checklist.
During the afternoon ferry out on the 26th, most notable was the near absence of shearwaters, but instead three Arctic Loons, and ten or so passerines – including a drongo sp.! – and a few Barn Swallows out over the sea heading east. In heavy overcast and drizzle on the island in the evening, I spent a couple of hours in Jinchon with the visiting team of Fran Kim, Yi Gina and Shin Mun-Cheol; and again with the same team during the brighter morning of 27th. Otherwise all observations were by me alone (with images below copyright of Nial Moores / Birds Korea), mostly in Jinchon in the northeast; and in Junghwadong and Dumujin in the west.
As expected, there was still some late passage of raptors (including a few Crested Honey Buzzards and Grey-faced Buzzards), while warblers comprised small numbers of Lanceolated (many fewer than in some past years) and Pallas’s Grasshopper, Black-browed, Oriental Reed and the wonderfully open-faced Thick-billed, and singing flocks of Arctic and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers.
Less expected were multiple records of several “warm climate preferential species”. Species of greatest note were:
Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides 큰매사촌. One was heard very briefly on 30th in the northwest. There are now probably 3-10 records nationally every year after the first record in 2007.
Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica 홍비둘기. A male (either full adult or warm-plumaged Second Calendar-year) flew over the car in Yeonhwari on 27th.
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 목점박이비둘기. One, presumably just arrived, was seen on wires in Dumujin on 29th but not on subsequent days. There are still fewer than 10 national records. This is the second record for the island, with one heard (but not seen) on October 30th 2024 in exactly the same area.
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 흰배뜸부기. One was feeding on the track alongside the reservoir on 27th.
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus 민댕기물떼새. Four were together in rice-fields in Junghwadong on 30th. This is the largest group of this species I have seen in the ROK. Most years there are probably only 10 to 20 at most recorded nationwide.
Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis 붉은배새매. Migration was still ongoing through the island, with a flock of 45 seen arriving in Jungwadong on 30th; and nine seen trying to depart the island on June 1st. As many territories are already occupied in the ROK by the end of May, presumably many of these were non-breeders and birds breeding rather further to the north and north-east.
Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis 파랑새. Fifty (or more?) were in Jinchon on 26th; and at least nine were hawking large insects in Jinchon still on June 1st. As many are already in breeding territories in the ROK in the second half of May, it seems likely that some or most of these will be aiming to summer further to the north and north-east.
Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha 팔색조. Exceptional numbers of this globally Vulnerable late migrant were recorded, with 17 individuals heard in total. Their singing could be used to track birds as they moved east across the island. Six were heard on 27th (five in the southwest and one in the northwest); five were heard in the northwest only in the mid-morning of 28th; one was heard crossing the island in the northwest on the 29th; four were heard on the 30th (with two in the northwest and two in the southwest); and one was heard migrating across Jinchon at 1:45 AM on June 1st, again heading due east. Based on the scarcity of this species in the DPRK (with their range there perhaps limited to the southwest); the direction of flight; and the dates (which overlap with arrival dates of some birds e.g.. in Yeoncheon), it can safely be assumed that the vast majority of these birds will be trying to breed in the forests of the ROK, which perhaps now forms the core of the breeding range with a conservatively estimated 1,000 or so pairs nationwide. Looking at weather patterns, it also seems quite probable that many of these birds crossed the Yellow Sea from the Shandong Peninsula.
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 꾀꼬리. Small numbers were noted daily, with a peak of 77 counted trying to leave the island on June 1st. Most of these birds appeared to be female types and Second-calendar year males, with the vast majority trying to head Southeast from the island, i.e., heading towards forest in the ROK.
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus 검은바람까마귀. A good showing by this species this year. Small flocks of 2-7 birds were seen in several places on the island (Dumujin, Jungwadong, the Harrier Fields and Jinchon), with a group of eight together in the northeast on June 1st including 1-2 apparently looking to pair up. How long will it be before this species becomes a Korean breeding species?
Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis 검은이마직박구리. Although first recorded in Korea as recently as 2002, this species is now a common breeder on the island and in much of the ROK; and a very common migrant through some western islands, especially in early May. A flock of c. 25 were seen trying to depart N or NE from the island on June 1st suggesting that the migration period for this species is expanding in tandem with its range.
Baikal Bush Warbler Locustella davidi 점무늬가슴쥐발귀. An apparently regular migrant through this island (and presumably other northwestern islands) at the very end of May. Twelve were heard on the 30th (with at least 11 of these in the northwest) and one or two were in the southwest on the 31st. Recordings were made of several individuals through my phone, with the recording below made of the bird in the images…
Swinhoe’s White-eye Zosterops simplex 작은동박새. Small numbers were present in several areas at the month’s end, and most of the 27 counted in the northeast on June 1st were likely to be this species (the only two white-eyes seen well enough to identify to species were both Swinhoe’s).
Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus 뿔찌르레기. One was seen flying off island with a flock of Light-vented Bulbuls in Jinchon on June 1st. This is the second island record, with two seen departing the island from Jinchon on May 16th 2024. There are still probably five or fewer national records of this species, which is migratory in the northern part of its (self-sustained) range in China.
As in previous years, therefore, strong migration of several species was still evident – though there were no small bitterns, no Black-capped Kingfishers and many fewer flycatchers, with no Dark-sided Flycatchers at all, than in some earlier years. During my first late spring on the island back in 2013, I saw single Cinnamon, three Yellow and six von Shrenck’s Bitterns; found three occupied territories of Black-capped Kingfisher; and saw Dark-sided Flycatchers pretty well daily – though with the peak on 20th (see here). Are strong declines in these same species being detected elsewhere on the Flyway?
Other wildlife moments on the island included a Tiger Keelback which tried, unsuccessfully, to consume a Black-spotted Pond Frog in Dumujin on May 30th; and a male Large Copper Butterfly in Jinchon on June 1st.
