Bird news by Leslie Hurteau. All images copyright of Leslie Hurteau.
Early June saw another visit to Mara Island, one of the top 5 migration spots in the country (I’ll leave the other four up to the reader’s imagination). Late May to early June is a personal favourite of mine for spring migration. While numbers of species and diversity are generally low by this point, there always seems to be some interesting species that are either moving through late or making unusual appearances. On top of that, there are several migrants that typically arrive late in the season, such as the grasshopper warblers, that can make birding at this time extra rewarding.
The departure was made through Unjin Harbour in Moseulpo once again, mainly due to easy access via regular bus service. The harbour area was noticeably quieter than before, but with plenty of resident species as well as the summer breeding Barn Swallows being quite active. The boat trip proved to be particularly quiet, both on the way there with basically only two Eastern Spot-billed Ducks seen flying northwards, and the return trip with nothing.
Despite the slow start on the boat, arrival on the island was greeted by Pacific Reef Egrets and Chinese Pond Herons, as well as a pair of late Richard’s Pipits in the northern end fields. Herons can seem like a theme in late spring on Mara Island, with other related species seen during the day including a group of three Black-crowned Night Herons, Little Heron, and Great Egret.
Further into the forested areas, the familiar song of Styan’s Grasshopper Warbler could be heared throughout, a regular summer visitor on Mara Island and maybe the easiest place in the country (or anywhere?) to find them singing on breeding grounds. A Black-browed Reed Warbler was heard, and one potential Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warbler (ID tentative but the call sounded simpler than Styan’s).
Regular summer visitors were moving through, including Dollarbird, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Black-naped Oriole, and Tiger Shrike. Ashy Minivet and Oriental Reed Warbler were also encountered, and several brief but good looks at a Common Cuckoo that we ran into a few times on the island.
Late spring generally has few Leaf Warblers and Flycatchers, with only Kamchatka and Dusky Warbler present for the former, and Asian Brown Flycatcher present for the latter. One lone Manchurian Bush Warbler was found singing in the shrubby area in the south of the island, seen very well with the distinct rufous tinged upperparts and pinker legs and bill compared with the more yellowish-brown colours of the locally common Japanese Bush Warbler.
Top spring surprises of the visit would have to be a pair of Red Collared Doves, a species I’ve seen here in late spring before, and a single Chestnut-cheeked Starling. Somewhat unusual in the context of the location was a single feral Rock Dove flying around the island, a species very common throughout the country in developed areas, but personally I have only seen them a few instances on Mara Island.
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