“The harrier fields”: open rice-fields and fallow grassland, ringed by low hills used by soaring raptors, located between Jinchon and the Baengnyeong Reclamation lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA few highlights \/ species of note follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nRuddy Shelduck<\/strong> Tadorna ferruginea <\/em>\ud669\uc624\ub9ac. One, rather late, on May 8th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nGarganey<\/strong> Spatula querquedula<\/em> \ubc1c\uad6c\uc9c0. A new island high count of 56 on April 24th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nGarganey<\/strong>, Hwadong Wetland \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nStejneger\u2019s Scoter<\/strong> Melanitta stejnegeri<\/em> \uac80\ub465\uc624\ub9ac\uc0ac\ucd0c. Present throughout late April. Sixty-six still present on 30th. Most were obviously Stejneger’s<\/strong>. However. one bird (seen up to 29th at least) showed a rather brighter, orangey toned bill; and another apparently showed strongly brown looking flanks. However, range was too great to confirm identification one way or another.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nJapanese Quail<\/strong> Coturnix japonica<\/em> \uba54\ucd94\ub77c\uae30. Heard in the north-east and in the Harrier Fields, with at least four in the latter area on April 30th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nCommon Swift <\/strong>Apus apus<\/em> \uac80\uc740\ub4f1\uce7c\uc0c8. One seen on May 7th in the NE. First picked up flying with a White-throated Needletail<\/strong>; and then with several Pacific Swift<\/strong> and perhaps the same Needletail. Two minute views were enjoyed through the ‘scope with the bird seen at several angles. Light was difficult but white was visible on both Pacifics and the Needletail in the same view and was absent on the medium-sized swift (though perhaps throat was paler). In direct comparison, the bird also looked more truncated than Pacific<\/strong>, and obviously brown-toned, above especially. No images. Although no record has yet been adequately-documented, Common Swift<\/strong> appears to be a quite regular (though rare) migrant to the west of ROK during spring migration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nLarge Hawk-Cuckoo<\/strong> Hierococcyx sparverioides<\/em> \ud070\ub9e4\uc0ac\ucd0c. One heard in the NE on May 7th. Following the first national record in 2007, this species is now recorded annually in the ROK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nLittle Curlew<\/strong> Numenius minutus<\/em> \uc1e0\ubd80\ub9ac\ub3c4\uc694. Two seen on 23rd in the NE was the only observation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nSharp-tailed Sandpiper<\/strong> Calidris acuminata <\/em>\uba54\ucd94\ub77c\uae30\ub3c4\uc694. Another poor spring on the island for this fast-declining and globally Vulnerable shorebird. First recorded on April 24th (3); with five on 26th the peak.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nSharp-tailed Sandpiper<\/strong> \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nTemminck\u2019s Stint<\/strong> Calidris temminckii <\/em>\ud770\uaf2c\ub9ac\uc880\ub3c4\uc694. One in the Hwadong Wetland on April 24th, increased to three there by 26th. At least nine were seen on the island on 30th, with five together in one group in the Hwadong Wetland, and others seen in rice-fields.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nLong-toed Stint<\/strong> Calidris subminuta<\/em> \uc885\ub2ec\ub3c4\uc694. A single on April 26th, increasing to a peak of at least 12 on April 30th. One confiding individual in the NE slept unobtrusively at the edge of a rice-field. On hearing alarm calls of other species, the bird “giraffed”, before suddenly “upending” in the rice-field, with the back-end stuck up prominently, presumably to disguise the silhouette and to imitate the cut rice-stalks – apparently in response to a passing Eurasian Sparrowhawk<\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWood Sandpiper<\/strong> Tringa glareola <\/em>\uc54c\ub77d\ub3c4\uc694. Rather poor numbers recorded, with the high count 75 on May 1st.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWood Sandpiper <\/strong>\u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWood Sandpiper<\/strong>, Hwadong \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nEurasian Spoonbill<\/strong> Platalea leucorodia<\/em> \ub178\ub791\ubd80\ub9ac\uc800\uc5b4\uc0c8. Increasingly recorded on the island. Peak count was six on May 1st.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nEurasian Spoonbill<\/strong>, Hwadong \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nBlack-faced Spoonbill<\/strong> Platalea minor<\/em> \uc800\uc5b4\uc0c8. No survey was attempted of the breeding colony. However, E05<\/a> (present in summer on the island since at least 2014) was seen in rice-fields in late April. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBlack-faced Spoonbill<\/strong> \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nEurasian Bittern<\/strong> Botaurus stellaris<\/em> \uc54c\ub77d\ud574\uc624\ub77c\uae30. One booming bird present throughout was joined briefly by a second individual in the evening of May 1st, which circled in, landed, then took off again and departed toward the east. Birds have been heard booming in this wetland almost every year since May 2014.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nPurple Heron <\/strong>Ardea purpurea <\/em>\ubd89\uc740\uc65c\uac00\ub9ac. The only record was of three together watched flying over the Hwadong Wetland in the evening of May 1st.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nChinese Egret<\/strong> Egretta eulophotes<\/em> \ub178\ub791\ubd80\ub9ac\ubc31\ub85c. The breeding colony was not visited. However, the species appeared to be much less widespread than in earlier years, with the first individual only seen on May 2nd; and a maximum of only two seen on subsequent dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nBlack-winged Kite<\/strong> Elanus caeruleus<\/em> \uac80\uc740\uc5b4\uae68\ub9e4. One briefly hunting over Hwadong Wetland on April 29th: first called out by JL, and also seen by NM. This is the first spring record for Baengnyeong that we are aware of. The previous island records were of 3-4 in November 2019<\/a>. There are probably still fewer than 20 national records, after the first was found in Seoul in February 2013.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBlack-winged Kite<\/strong>, Hwadong Wetland \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nCrested Honey Buzzard<\/strong> Pernis ptilorhynchus<\/em> \ubc8c\ub9e4. Only small numbers seen. Highest day counts included 14 on April 30th and 45 on May 8th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nCrested Honey Buzzard<\/strong> \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nPied Harrier <\/strong>Circus melanoleucos<\/em> \uc54c\ub77d\uac1c\uad6c\ub9ac\ub9e4. Two females on April 24th in the “Harrier Fields” (the proposed site of the airport) was the only record.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nOriental Scops Owl <\/strong>\u00a0Otus sunia<\/em> \uc18c\uca4d\uc0c8. Singles heard on multiple dates, with two seen together on May 1st the highest day count.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nOriental Scops Owl<\/strong>, NW \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nEurasian Wryneck<\/strong> Jynx torquilla<\/em> \uac1c\ubbf8\uc7a1\uc774. First recorded on 24th, with 1-3 recorded on multiple dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nEurasian Wryneck<\/strong>, SW \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nSaker Falcon<\/strong> Falco cherrug<\/em> \ud5e8\ub2e4\uc190\ub9e4. One presumed Saker was seen over the Hwadong Wetland on April 26th. The bird flew past me initially at c. 50 m range, then low across wetland with very graceful, fairly slowish wingbeats; climbed and then stooped once. Subsequently just circled and gained height. Tailed looked long; wings tatty, but bent back with fairly broad looking hand at some angles, narrow at others. Brown above, with warmer tail, and quite dark looking below. Crown looked pale; some moustachial but not as strong as on Peregrine. Once bird gained height was only looking from below; hard to ascertain whether or not underwing coverts were obviously darker, as they simply looked darker compared to weakly translucent flight feathers. ID remains tentative. Although Saker has been seen on Baengnyeong in previous springs (as at several other sites along the west coast), several odd-looking falcons have also been seen (including a massive brown falcon with a perhaps similar head pattern last year,<\/a> which I eventually listed, correctly or incorrectly, as a Peregrine).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nBrown Shrike<\/strong> Lanius cristatus<\/em> \ub178\ub791\ub54c\uae4c\uce58. Only small numbers seen. The most striking individual was one confusus<\/em> with an extensive white wing patch, in the NE from May 3rd to 7th, shown in the images below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nConfusus<\/em> Brown Shrike<\/strong>, NE \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nJapanese Waxwing<\/strong> Bombycilla japonica<\/em> \ud64d\uc5ec\uc0c8. One in NE on April 25th and 27th (likely the same individual); singles in the NE and SW on May 1st; two in NE on May 3rd; one in NW May 5th; and two together (including at least one new adult male) in the NW on 8th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nJapanese Waxwing<\/strong>, NE \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nLight-vented Bulbul<\/strong> Pycnonotus sinensis<\/em> \uac80\uc740\uc774\ub9c8\uc9c1\ubc15\uad6c\ub9ac. The rapid increase of this now common resident and migrant, first recorded in the ROK in 2002<\/a>, continues. The largest flock was of c. 250 in the north-east on May 8th, when 50 were still present in the NW. The total number passing through the island in spring is likely now to be in the high hundreds as flocks of between 80 and 130 were observed trying to depart the island on several additional dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nFlock of Light-vented Bulbul<\/strong> trying to depart the island, NE \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nSwinhoe\u2019s White-eye<\/strong> Zosterops simplex<\/em> \uc791\uc740\ub3d9\ubc15\uc0c8. Small to medium-sized flocks recorded throughout the island. Minimum of 18 on 25th, increasing to at least 50 in the NW and SW alone by April 30th. Last noted on May 7th. The series of records on Baengnyeong, and increasingly from other islands too, following the split of this species in 2018<\/a> confirms the status of Swinhoe’s<\/strong> as a regular and locally common migrant through the ROK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nSwinhoe’s White-eye<\/strong>, NW, \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nEyebrowed Thrush<\/strong> Turdus obscurus<\/em> \ud770\ub208\uc379\ubd89\uc740\ubc30\uc9c0\ube60\uadc0. In accordance with their concentrated migration timing, an arrival of Eyebrowed Thrush on Baengnyeong included 50 in the NE alone on May 5rd, increasing to 130 there by May 6th.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nEyebrowed Thrush<\/strong>, NE \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nDusky Thrush<\/strong> Turdus eunomus<\/em> \uac1c\ub625\uc9c0\ube60\uadc0. Present throughout with e.g., 65 in the NE on April 27th. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nDusky Thrush<\/strong>, NE \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nSiberian Rubythroat<\/strong> Calliope calliope<\/em> \uc9c4\ud64d\uac00\uc2b4. Between 10 and a dozen heard on multiple dates; an increasing number of these were showy singers toward the end of the survey period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nSiberian Rubythroat<\/strong>, NW \u00a9 \uc774\uac74\ud76c<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSiberian Rubythroat<\/strong>, NE \u00a9 Nial Moores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\nEastern Yellow Wagtail<\/strong> Motacilla tschutschensis <\/em>\uae34\ubc1c\ud1b1\ud560\ubbf8\uc0c8. Highest day count was 430 on May 1st. A conservative count of flocks of birds (individually or in 5s) suggested that 305 departed the island to the NE in 90 minutes in the morning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\nBlyth\u2019s Pipit<\/strong> Anthus godlewskii<\/em> \uc1e0\ubc2d\uc885\ub2e4\ub9ac. One in overhead flight, calling, over the “harrier fields” on 24th; two in the NE on 27th, with one remaining there on the 28th. Last record was one on May 1st. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/rs2000-yrflyDSC01535-1024x808.jpg\")
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