Bird Report by Jason Loghry with Park Seonyeong and Bradlee Sulentic.
As part of our research on the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, our team set out early on Saturday morning to survey Yubu Island. It was a long day and unfortunately we were unable to find a single SBS. There were less than 2000 birds on the tidal flat, and highest numbers were observed at the first high tide. Highlights included Broad-billed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Sanderling (including an individual flagged Orange over Yellow on right leg and ringed on left and another individual flagged White over Orange), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, some Dunlin, Eurasian and Far Eastern Curlew, with more of the latter, Ruddy Turnstone, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, a single Whimbrel, Kentish Plover, some gorgeous Mongolian Plovers, Grey Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Little Tern, Black-faced Spoonbill (5), Eurasian Oystercatcher (less than 200), and Eurasian Cuckoo, Oriental Reed Warbler, and Tiger Shrike on the island.
*Also, important to add that Dr. Nial Moores also surveyed the Nakdong Estuary on the 26th of May and although there was a Spoon-billed Sandpiper previously reported, no Spoon-billed Sandpipers were observed.