{"id":18827,"date":"2017-01-04T17:56:38","date_gmt":"2017-01-04T08:56:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/?p=18827"},"modified":"2017-01-16T13:02:39","modified_gmt":"2017-01-16T04:02:39","slug":"various-sites-december-29-january-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/?p=18827","title":{"rendered":"Various Sites, December 29 – January 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bird News from Nial Moores with Mike Friel, Huang Yu Li (Rock), Loretta Kao and Gary Yang.<\/p>\n

Multiple birding highlights among ~130 species seen included a vagrant Great Bustard<\/strong>, 400,000+ Baikal Teal<\/strong>, single Greater Spotted <\/strong>and Steller\u2019s Sea Eagles<\/strong>, a male American Wigeon<\/strong>, all four sawbilled ducks, Relict Gull<\/strong>, Yellow-bellied Tit<\/strong> and a flock of more than 20,000 Rook<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

Five highly enjoyable and informative days were spent birding together with three experienced volunteers from the Wild Bird Society of Taipei. \u00a0The weather remained very mild (with the lowest minimum -3C and the highest maximum 13C), with sunshine on four of the five days, mist and overcast on the 31st<\/sup> and exceptionally early yellow dust haze on the 2nd.<\/p>\n

Together we focused on searching for a long list of more or less regular Korean species that are seldom found in Taiwan in addition to exchanging information and insights on several complex conservation issues. \u00a0This included detailed discussion on why there are still so few birders and bird conservationists in Korea – even while birding has already exploded in popularity in several other East Asian countries\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"rs-teamtaiwanatnakdong-dsc05175\"“Team Taiwan” (Rock Huang, Loretta Kao and Gary Yang on far right), with Birds Korean Mike Friel (in bobble hat in centre) at the Nakdong \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

On the 29th<\/sup>, at our first stop in the Nakdong Estuary we enjoyed good views of flocks of Whooper Swan<\/strong> and four extremely confiding Falcated Duck <\/strong>at Miyeonji, while rarities in the Korean context included a single globally Vulnerable Greater Spotted Eagle<\/strong> overhead and rather distant views of a male American Wigeon<\/strong> (which at least at range looked \u201cpure\u201d).\u00a0 Crossing to Hadan, we then saw single Relict Gull<\/strong> and a magnificent but distant adult Steller\u2019s Sea Eagle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"rs-falcatedduck-5168\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-falcatedduck-5149\"Falcated Duck<\/strong> Anas falcata <\/i>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\"rs-americanwigeon-5145\"American Wigeon<\/strong> Anas americana<\/i> (on right) with Mallard<\/strong> Anas platyrhynchos<\/i> and Eurasian Wigeon<\/strong> Anas penelope <\/i>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\"rs-nakdongestuary5180\"The still impressive-looking Nakdong Estuary \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

Moving on to Junam, we found that much of the main reservoir and adjacent fields are now closed-off and patrolled by unnecessarily rude \u201cguards\u201d wearing white plastic biosecurity suits: the uniform of Avian Influenza outbreaks. Poultry Flu is another chronic conservation issue in the ROK, where there is still almost no high-level acceptance that wild birds are the victim and not the cause of the now annual outbreaks. Profound changes are urgently needed in the poultry industry if these outbreaks are to end.<\/p>\n

All the same, we still enjoyed excellent views of White-naped Crane<\/strong> (probably 50-60 seen) and Taiga Bean Geese<\/strong>, several Smew<\/strong>, one or two Merlin<\/strong>, a male Hen Harrier<\/strong> and a small mixed flock of Dusky<\/strong> and Naumann\u2019s Thrushes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"rs-whitenapedcrane-5208\"White-naped Crane<\/strong> Grus vipio<\/em> \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

On the 30th, we spent the day at Guryongpo, where the lack of any oiled birds and the good water quality is a positive symbol of advances made in the nation over the past few decades. \u00a0Notable species included five Black Brant<\/strong> (four together close-in and one much further out), 50+ Harlequin Duck<\/strong>, 45 Asiatic White-winged<\/strong> and one American Scoter<\/strong>, six Glaucous-winged<\/strong> and eight Glaucous Gulls<\/strong>, probably 1,000 Ancient Murrelet<\/strong> and 750 Rhinoceros Auklet<\/strong> and, still notable in the domestic context, a single flock of 17 Light-vented Bulbul<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"rs-glaucousgull-5249\"Glaucous Gull<\/strong> Larus hyperboreus <\/i>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\"rs-glaucous-wingedgull-5272\"Glaucous-winged Gull<\/strong> Larus glaucescens<\/i>, with Vega<\/strong> L. vegae<\/em> and Slaty-backed Gulls<\/strong> L. schistisagus <\/em>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

On the 31st<\/sup>, our planned early morning trip to the North River (to see Common Merganser<\/strong> and Smew<\/strong> \u2013 both rarer in Taiwan than the usually much sought-after Scaly-sided Merganser<\/strong>!) was diverted by a late evening text message on the 30th stating that a one-day Great Bustard<\/strong> initially found by Park Jong-Su on December 13th<\/sup> had, after appearing on TV<\/a> (!), just been relocated.\u00a0 The location of where the bird roosted that dusk was now “open” to birders…This was just too good an opportunity to miss.\u00a0 Once regular in Korea in winter, the long-range migratory East Asian<\/a> population \/ subspecies of Great Bustard<\/strong> has declined terribly during the past few decades, with major drivers of decline considered to include collisions with man-made structures and habitat degradation. This was therefore perhaps only the second ROK record since the 1970s (Park Jin Young’s 2002 doctoral thesis lists three records from the 1970s, including a flock of seven on Ganghwa Island, but none subsequently).\u00a0 And the most recent record (one in the CCZ inner border area a few years ago) was “suppressed” by observers.<\/p>\n

Arriving at the site, we soon found the bird which based e.g. on size and dark crown markings was presumably a First-winter; and has subsequently been identified by Great Bustard researcher Dr Mimi Kessler of the Eurasian Bustard Alliance<\/a> as a male.\u00a0 He was near-surrounded by cars\u00a0 and was eventually flushed – this was one of the ROK’s biggest twitches after all. After a brief chance encounter with leading bird expert Park Jong-Gil, we followed the bustard a short distance to some nearby fields. At an apparently safe distance of more than two rice-fields away (about 150-200m?), standing at the bottom of a dyke, we then enjoyed prolonged \u2018scope views of the bird feeding, digging out food \u2013 including one item which looked remarkably similar to a large grasshopper.<\/p>\n

\"rs-greatbustard5439\"<\/p>\n

\"rs2-greatbustard-5409\"<\/p>\n

\"rs2-greatbustard5398\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-greatbustard5471\"<\/p>\n

Great Bustard<\/strong> Otis tarda<\/em> dybowskii <\/i>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

Over the next twenty minutes or so more and more cars arrived in the area, with some parking perhaps less than 50m from the bird. \u00a0At least for the first 15 minutes the photographers stayed put in their cars and the Great Bustard<\/strong>, typically an extremely wary species, did not appear to be overly stressed, as he occasionally continued to dig for food.<\/p>\n

The breaking point came just before 11 AM when two cars drove past us in order to get even closer views with the sun behind them (we did try to stop them, even blocking the road and explaining that they would flush the bird\u2026but they resolutely ignored our advice and drove on anyway, looking somewhat angry at my urgings). They drove along the road to within 50m of the bustard at the exact same time that a different photographer (wearing purple trousers)\u00a0 squatted next to a parked white car very close to the bird. The bustard had already stood frozen in an alert posture for several minutes. Looking directly first at the two new cars as they arrived near her and then directly at the purple-trousered photographer, he took flight \u2013 at first a little north and then back right towards us, all the time gaining height rapidly, eventually disappearing behind the ridge we were below.<\/p>\n

\"rs-bustardphotographers5549\"Great Bustard<\/strong> – standing in the field in front of the telephone pole, increasingly surrounded by cars (with most of the photographers, however, sensibly staying within their vehicles) \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

\"rs_justbeforetheflush-7445\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The last minute of observation…the Great Bustard<\/strong> was clearly alert and stressed, but the photographer in the purple trousers decides to get just that bit closer… \u00a9 Mike Friel<\/p>\n

\"rs-bustardphotographers-dsc05572\"Two seconds before the Great Bustard<\/strong> was flushed, looking directly at the “bustard photograper” who had just set up by the white car… Does anyone recognise his camera or clothing?\u00a0 If you know him, can you please ask him – respectfully if you like –\u00a0 to try to be less ignorant and selfish next time, and to put the bird’s welfare first?<\/p>\n

\"rs-flushed_7452\"<\/p>\n

Flushed…\u00a9 Mike Friel<\/p>\n

\"rs-great-bustard-garyyang-1\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-gary-yang-great-bustard-a\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-great-bustard-ray-yang-2\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-great-bustard-ray-yang-3\"Great Bustard<\/strong> in flight \u00a9 Gary Yang<\/p>\n

A convoy of about 30 cars then raced down the farm roads in the same direction as the bustard, but apparently they failed to re-find him \u2013 good for the bird no doubt, but extremely frustrating for the all other birders who were still arriving in the area.\u00a0 As in Taiwan apparently, the vast majority of the photographers were careful and respectful of the bird \u2013 but those selfish few\u2026when will they start properly to consider the welfare of the bird?\u00a0 Do they realise how selfish and ignorant and potentially harmful to the birds their behaviour is?<\/p>\n

In the same area we also saw four White-naped Crane<\/strong>, apparently repeatedly flushed by the same cars, and also enjoyed good views of several Meadow Bunting<\/strong> before leaving the area. Later in the day, we then had excellent views of 15-20 Cinereous Vulture<\/strong> and finally of 30+ Common<\/strong> (and two Scaly-sided<\/strong>) Mergansers<\/strong>. Last birds of the year included a displaying Common Goldeneye <\/strong>and an adult White-tailed Eagle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"rs-cinereousvulture-5605\"<\/p>\n

Cinereous Vulture<\/strong> Aegypius monachus <\/i>\u00a9 Nial Moores
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

On the 1st<\/sup>, we spent the day at the Geum Estuary. Although there were several thousand grey geese, the Swan Goose<\/em> and big Baikal Teal<\/em> flocks were again absent – in large part because of habitat degradation. The most notable species for the day therefore included a group of eight Yellow-bellied Tit <\/strong>and single Pallas\u2019s Leaf<\/strong> and Tristram’s Bunting<\/strong>, two Dusky Warblers <\/strong>and one Red-throated Pipit <\/strong>(typically all four species are very scarce here in winter), 30+ Lapland Longspur<\/strong>, several winter-singing Japanese Quail<\/strong> and a total of about 30 Baikal Teal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

On the 2nd<\/sup>, our day started with watching a single spectacular flock of 20- 25,000 Rook <\/strong>and several Daurian Jackdaw.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"rs-rooks-5619\"A small part of the Rook<\/strong> Corvus frugilegus<\/i> flock at dawn…\u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

But the best was still to come…a couple of hours later we found an enormous flock of 400,000+ Baikal Teal<\/strong>.\u00a0 A proper count was made impossible by access restrictions imposed because of fears of Poultry Flu, but views of much of the flock were excellent all the same.<\/p>\n

\"rs-baikals-5641\"<\/p>\n

\"rs-baikals5666\"Part of the truly massive flock of Baikal Teal<\/strong> Anas formosa<\/i> \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

\"rs-team-taiwan-lookinginawe5677\"Watching the Baikals<\/strong> in genuine awe and wonder \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/p>\n

In the afternoon, we spent a few hours at Suncheon Bay (again, where Poultry Flu restrictions were also in place – even while diggers were carving up the formerly reed-lined ditches). Despite the human activity, we enjoyed good views of Hooded Crane<\/strong> (probably 100 seen in total) and a half-dozen Eurasian Spoonbill<\/strong>, an encounter with a Chinese Grey Shrike<\/strong> and another adult male Hen Harrier<\/strong>, and finished our birding together with prolonged looks at a group of 15 or so feeding Pallas\u2019s Reed<\/strong> followed by good views of one or two Common Reed Buntings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"rs-mikefriel_spoonbill_7822\"Eurasian Spoonbill<\/strong> Platalea leucorodia\u00a0<\/i>\u00a9\u00a0 Mike Friel<\/p>\n

All in all, this was a great trip: the birding in Korea is still outstanding – and could be even better with the creation of some genuinely protected areas and an evolution away from the construct-and-consume mentality that has driven many of the nation’s policies for much of the past decade and more.<\/p>\n

Images by Nial Moores taken with a compact sony camera through a truly superb Swarovski scope<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bird News from Nial Moores with Mike Friel, Huang Yu Li (Rock), Loretta Kao and Gary Yang. Multiple birding highlights among ~130 species seen included a vagrant Great Bustard, 400,000+ Baikal Teal, single Greater Spotted and Steller\u2019s Sea Eagles, a … read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":18856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[223,872,873],"class_list":["post-18827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bird-sightings","tag-baikal-teal","tag-great-bustard","tag-team-taiwan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18827"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18912,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18827\/revisions\/18912"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}