"Historical post" - Jeju Island, November 2009

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata (first calendar year)

Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata (juvenile -> adult-type plumage)

Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata (Juvenile -> adult-type plumage)

Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus

Scootin' and birdin' at Halla's feet

Seogwipo, Jeju Island, November 14, 2009
  On a fresh day in Seogwipo, Mandarin Ducks were plentiful on several quiet rivers, with about 30 seen. Daurian Redstarts seemed to be everywhere, displaying and calling conspicuously. While trying to get a picture of a vocal Daurian Redstart in a field, I was surprised to look down into a reed-filled ditch and find a party of about six Scaly-breasted Munias (the fourth record for Korea with the first three in October 2003). They were very confiding, as they moved through the reeds feeding, with several Tree Sparrows. Most appeared to be juveniles gradually assuming adult plumage.

(*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.
  For this post, most of images are lamentably poor-resolution screensaves, as many of the original photo files were lost in the infamous computer crash of 2011.)