Birds Korea and the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Mini-Documentary Project

Scanning for Spoonies at dawn on Yubu

This awesome little bird is in the fight of its life - there are less than 200 left. Read about what Birds Korea is trying to do to help:
http://www.birdskorea.org/BK-Startpage.shtml

Jeju Island, October 3rd - 30+ Chestnut-cheeked Starlings

Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis

female Chestnut-cheeked Starling Agropsar philippensis

female Chestnut-cheeked Starling Agropsar philippensis

male Chestnut-cheeked Starling Agropsar philippensis

  With the ferry to Mara-do cancelled due to high winds, I had to settle for a ramble around the west coast. On the southwest coast, I watched a Chinese Sparrowhawk as it loomed over a large flock of Tree Sparrows cowering in a large thicket of scrub. The sparrowhawk appeared to have a deformed bill. Nearby, I thought I saw a Black Drongo drop down from a power line as I was riding past, but I was unable to re-find the suspect bird.

  On the way back to Seogwipo, I stumbled on a prime bit of habitat in a quiet farming village near the west coast, featuring a stream lined with large old Hackberry trees. Mixed in among a flock of perhaps 30 noisy Brown-eared Bulbuls was a similar number of Chestnut-cheeked Starling. They were mostly sticking to the treetops, moving up and down the river in smaller groups. It was nice to see this attractive bird in such numbers, as I’ve only ever encountered the occasional single bird in spring.