{"id":27467,"date":"2023-06-04T16:27:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-04T07:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/?p=27467"},"modified":"2023-06-04T16:27:38","modified_gmt":"2023-06-04T07:27:38","slug":"baengnyeong-island-may-23-31","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/?p=27467","title":{"rendered":"Baengnyeong Island, May 23-31"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bird news from Nial Moores (with Shim Kyu-Sik and Song In-Sik on May 28th PM, 29th, and morning of 30th).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 146 species were logged during the week, including a mix of local breeders (including globally Vulnerable Chinese Egret<\/strong> and globally Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill<\/strong>, and widespread Korean Bush Warblers<\/strong>), predictably late migrants (including some Critically Endangered Yellow-breasted<\/strong> and fast-declining Chestnut Buntings<\/strong>, all the “locusts” and several of the phylloscs), and a few tardy outliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese Egret<\/strong> Egretta eulophotes<\/em> \ub178\ub791\ubd80\ub9ac\ubc31\ub85c \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Black-faced Spoonbill <\/strong>Platalea minor<\/em> \uc800\uc5b4\uc0c8 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Korean Bush Warbler<\/strong> Horornis borealis<\/em> \ud718\ud30c\ub78c\uc0c8 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Yellow-breasted Bunting<\/strong> Emberiza aureola<\/em> \uac80\uc740\uba38\ub9ac\ucd09\uc0c8 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Chestnut Bunting<\/strong> Emberiza rutila <\/em>\uaf2c\uae4c\ucc38\uc0c8 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Highlights by date included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 23rd<\/sup><\/strong>. After an extremely bird-poor ferry journey, three hours in the northeast produced a single Purple Heron<\/strong> and Grey-headed Lapwing<\/strong> and an extremely late Eastern Buzzard<\/strong>, moving across the island with a small number of other raptors. In addition, a barking cuckoo was heard. Most frustrating was a probable Manchurian Reed Warbler<\/strong> heard calling, a slurred “tek” or agitated “tet”, then seen briefly largely against the light. The bird looked long-billed and long-tailed, with a dark brown brow (apparently not black – this feature seen in bright light for c. 5 seconds through binoculars) setting off a whiteish, perhaps slightly flared supercilium. The upperparts were pale milk chocolate brown; the rump was rather warm orangey-brown; the underparts were slightly warm brown, with the exception of a very pale throat. I managed just one out-of-focus digiscoped image before the bird flew into cover. Unfortunately, the bird did not respond obviously to playing of songs of Manchurian Reed<\/em> or Paddyfield Warblers<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grey-headed Lapwing<\/strong> Vanellus cinereus <\/em>\ubbfc\ub315\uae30\ubb3c\ub5bc\uc0c8 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Probable Manchurian Reed Warbler<\/strong> Acrocephalus tangorum<\/em> \uc6b0\uc218\ub9ac\uac1c\uac1c\ube44 \u00a9 Nial Moores. This extremely poor image appears to lend support to ID as a Manchurian Reed instead of the much more numerous Black-browed<\/em>. The brow looks very dark, but appears to be brown-toned; the bill looks quite long and peaked, with more orange in it than expected in Black-browed; and the legs look pale, with darker feet\/ toes. The globally Vulnerable Manchurian Reed Warbler is likely to be a rare but regular migrant through the ROK (and I have probably seen 10 or so here, mostly on Baengnyeong…). However, only one individual has been adequately documented – the first one, on Gageo Island back in October 2000<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 24th<\/sup><\/strong>. Two Ruddy-breasted Crake<\/strong> were seen in the morning in the NE; and a male Black-winged Cuckooshrike<\/strong> was seen very briefly in the afternoon in the NW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See full checklists here<\/a> and here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 25th<\/sup><\/strong>. A brief unsuccessful search was made for a loud singing thrush behind the Munhwa Motel; and \u00a0a probable Western Yellow Wagtail<\/em> was heard and seen in flight in the NE in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See full checklists here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 26th<\/sup><\/strong>. An extraordinary day in the southwest of the island in what superficially seemed rather unproductive weather conditions ahead of a major change in the weather. Outstanding highlight was a singing Chinese Bush Warbler<\/a><\/strong>, constituting the first adequately-documented national record of this super-skulker. This record follows on from a sight record of one on Baengnyeong on May 25th<\/sup> 2019<\/a>. Other species included a single Mandarin Duck<\/strong> (personal first this year on the island) and more remarkably, single singing Black-winged Cuckooshrike<\/strong> and Baikal Bush Warbler<\/strong> and at least two Japanese Leaf Warblers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese Bush Warbler<\/strong> Locustella tacsanowskia<\/em> \ub545\uac1c\uac1c\ube44 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 27th<\/sup><\/strong>. In the morning, the season\u2019s first (and only) Black Drongo<\/strong> arrived in the NE just ahead of the start of 26 hours or so of unbroken rain, mixed with fog and moderate southerlies.\u00a0 Together with Dr Shim Kyu-Sik and Mr Song In-Sik, a circuit of much of the island in very inclement weather produced little, beyond a flock of 15 Common Redshank<\/strong> in the Hwadong Wetland: an island high count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common Redshank<\/strong> Tringa totanus<\/em> \ubd89\uc740\ubc1c\ub3c4\uc694 (May 24) \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklists here<\/a> and here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 28th<\/sup><\/strong>. \u00a0Even though it felt \u201cquiet\u201d and the weather remained rainy and foggy through the morning, coverage by car and short hikes of several of the better spots on the island produced a total of 95 species. This included at least two mystery thrushes singing before sunrise and at least six species of cuckoo (and in addition, one Barking Cuckoo heard). \u00a0Species of note included a male and female Falcated Duck<\/strong> in the Hwadong Wetland; the second Large Hawk-cuckoo<\/strong> and the first Himalayan Swift <\/strong>of the spring in the NW; a group of five alba<\/em> Great Egrets<\/strong>; one unidentified martin and later at least one Siberian House Martin<\/strong> and 16 Asian House Martin<\/strong> together; a single Baikal Bush <\/strong>and two Japanese Leaf Warblers<\/strong>; and a very late Japanese Waxwing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Northern Hawk-cuckoo<\/strong> Hierococcyx hyperythrus<\/em> \ub9e4\uc0ac\ucd0c \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Siberian House Martin<\/strong> Delichon lagopodum<\/em> \ud770\uba38\ub9ac\uc9c1\ubc15\uad6c\ub9ac (top left) and Asian House Martin<\/strong> Delichon dasypus<\/em> \ud770\ud138\ubc1c\uc81c\ube44 (bottom right) \u00a9 Song In-Sik \uc1a1\uc778\uc2dd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 29th<\/sup><\/strong>. \u00a0Highlights included single Baikal Bush Warbler<\/strong>, four singing Gray\u2019s Grasshopper Warblers<\/strong> and 2-4 Japanese Leaf Warblers<\/strong> in the Southwest in the morning and a White-breasted Waterhen <\/strong>seen in the NW by S I-K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 30th<\/sup><\/strong>. \u00a0Another unexpectedly interesting day in the NE, with 76 species logged. First up, finally!, was the confirmation of the mystery singing thrushes as Chinese Blackbird<\/strong>; followed by a reasonable late spring pulse of visible migration. Most numerous was Pacific Swift<\/strong>, with at least 400 (and perhaps >600) logged, with additional notable counts including 15 White-throated Needletails<\/strong> and 36 Chinese Sparrowhawk<\/strong>. Additional species of note included two Amur Falcon<\/strong>, single Eurasian Sparrowhawk<\/strong>, Paradise Flycatcher<\/strong> sp. (presumably Black, based on relative abundance \/ rarity), and very late Brambling<\/strong> and Hawfinch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese Sparrowhawk<\/strong> Accipiter soloensis<\/em> \ubd89\uc740\ubc30\uc0c8\ub9e4 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Amur Falcon<\/strong> Falco amurensis<\/em> \ube44\ub458\uae30\uc870\ub871\uc774 \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 31st<\/sup><\/strong>. A final morning in the NE, with 60 species logged. Highlights included at least 3 Chinese Blackbird<\/strong>, two Grey-headed Lapwing<\/strong> together, and four species of \u201clocust\u201d warblers, including three Gray\u2019s Grasshopper<\/strong> and a single Baikal Bush Warbler<\/strong> (both of which much scarcer in the east of the island than in the west of it).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese Blackbird<\/strong> Turdus mandarinus<\/em> \ub300\ub959\uac80\uc740\uc9c0\ube60\uadc0: image above and song recording below \u00a9 Nial Moores.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See full checklist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bird news from Nial Moores (with Shim Kyu-Sik and Song In-Sik on May 28th PM, 29th, and morning of 30th). A total of 146 species were logged during the week, including a mix of local breeders (including globally Vulnerable Chinese … read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":27510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bird-sightings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27467","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=27467"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27514,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27467\/revisions\/27514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdskoreablog.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}