Tag Archives: white's thrush

Spring Migration, Jeju Island March – April

Bird news from Leslie Hurteau

Spring migration started slowly in March down in Jeju Island, with waders showing up on coastal areas and in wetlands and reservoirs. Waders such as Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, and Great Knots began to show up along coastal areas. Yongsu Reservoir on the west coast in particular was quite busy by the end of March with most of the winter ducks remaining as it filled up with waders making short stopovers during their migration.

Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris 붉은어깨도요 seen on the south coast. This individual was too tired from migration to care about all the tourists in the area. © Leslie Hurteau
Common migrants during early spring: Top Left: Common Redshank Tringa totanus 붉은발도요; Bottom Left: Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus 학도요; Top Right: Garganey Spatula querquedula 발구지; Bottom Right: Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 장다리물떼새. © Leslie Hurteau

Fields on the south west of Jeju slowly became quite bustling, with Buff-bellied and Red-throated Pipits accompanying the resident Eurasian Skylarks. Around late March, a large group of Oriental Plovers showed up (approximately 14 individuals!) and rested for a few days with Oriental Pratincoles and Pacific Golden Plovers. Shortly after, Amur Stonechats showed up in the fields, and Grey Thrushes, Sakhalin Leaf Warblers, and Asian Brown Flycatchers in the coastal forests. 

Oriental Plovers Charadrius veredus 큰물떼새, a surprisingly large number (at least 14) showed up this spring on the southwest coast of Jeju. © Leslie Hurteau
Little Curlew Numenius minutus 쇠부리도요, not very common in Korea, although some spots on Jeju tend to be reliable for finding them in spring © Leslie Hurteau
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 붉은갯도요 not quite in its charming red plumage yet. © Leslie Hurteau

Soon other migrants began showing up, such as Eastern Crowned Warblers and Ashy Minivets in the forests, and Cattle, Intermediate, and Chinese Egrets moving in on the coasts. Black-faced, Tristram’s, Little, and Yellow-browed Buntings grew in numbers on Mara Island. On the coastal fields, Little Curlew, Whimbrels, and Mongolian Short-toed Larks began to arrive as well. Now that we are in the middle of spring migration, it will be interesting to see what rarities may show up throughout May.

White’s Thrush Zoothera aurea 호랑지빠귀, a resident bird on Jeju, or a migrant in the case of this individual stopping by on Mara Island. © Leslie Hurteau
A mix of migrants, from left to right: Red-billed Starling Spodiopsar sericeus 붉은부리찌르레기, Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus 산솔새, and Tristram’s Bunting Emberiza tristrami 흰배멧새. Oddly enough, Red-billed Starling is essentialy resident on Jeju and can be found year round. © Leslie Hurteau
A particularly handsome Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes 노랑부리백로, seen on the east coast. © Leslie Hurteau