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| Looking east towards Sanbangsan, Halla Mountain hovers behind |
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| Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus |
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| Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus |
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| White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos quelpartensis (Jeju subspecies, and provincial bird) |
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| White-shouldered Starling Sturnus sinensis with White-cheeked Starlings Sturnus cineraceus |
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| Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus |
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| Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola |
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| Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica |
An early morning drive to the southwest coast produced some interesting spring birds, with 73 species seen today. Black-winged Stilts have arrived, with a total of a dozen seen at several different locations. Wood Sandpipers are also in evidence on Jeju with about 50 seen, in a wide range of wetland habitats. A dozen Whimbrels, and a similar number of Marsh Sandpipers were seen scattered along the coast and flooded fields. Cattle Egrets have returned to Jeju in force, and several Black-throated Loon still remain off the coast. A few hundred winter ducks linger still at the Yongsu reservoir.
On a wooded hill on the southwest coast, perhaps a dozen Grey (Japanese) Thrush were heard, but proved very elusive to see. A half-dozen vocal Eastern Crowned and Arctic Warblers were seen, along with an Asian Stubtail. Also on this hill were several Narcissus and Asian Brown Flycatchers, and a Chinese Pond Heron. Best of the day was a White-shouldered Starling found with a murmuration of about 50 White-cheeked Starlings.
A farmer’s field near Seogwipo held several Yellow Buntings. In a nearby park, several Tristram’s Buntings and a White-backed Woodpecker were seen. Still no Flycatchers or migrating Thrushes seen in Seogwipo yet.
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| Mara Island |
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| The Mara ferry |
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| Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana |
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| Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina |
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| female Grey-backed Thrush Turdus hortulorum |
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| Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla |
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| Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus |
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| Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus |
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| Korean Bush Warbler Horornis borealis |
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| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus |
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| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus |
Some interesting birds on Mara-do, Korea’s southernmost point, on a hot day made hazy with yellow dust from China. A dozen Siberian Stonechats, several Eurasian Siskins, at least two dozen Brambling, seven Red-throated Pipits, a female Grey-backed Thrush, and handfuls of Grey (Japanese) Thrush, Little Bunting, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Narcissus Flycatcher, Far Eastern Cisticola, and Red-flanked Bluetail were the highlights.
At Yongsu reservoir, a Pacific Golden Plover, several Falcated Teal and Pochard, and good numbers still of Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Spot-billed Duck, and Coot, with about 50-100 of each seen.
It’s been pretty quiet still in Seogwipo parks this month, with birds such as Brown-headed Thrush, Ashy Minivet, Yellow-browed Bunting, Narcissus, Blue-and-White, and Asian Brown Flycatchers yet to arrive. For the past two years, these birds have been relatively easy to find in several Seogwipo parks starting in mid-April.
In a Seogwipo farmer’s field, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Red-throated Pipits, and Siberian Stonechats are good signs of spring.
(*Note: This is a “historical post.” Whereas I started birding in Korea in 2005, this blog has only been active since early 2012 - these posts are an attempt to consolidate my early birdventures from the various blogs and websites where they reside, largely from the “Archived Bird News“ section of Birds Korea’s excellent website: http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Birdnews/BK-BN-Birdnews-archive.shtml. Find more historical posts by clicking on the "Historical posts" tab at the bottom of this post.)
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