Vernal Grumblings

Over the hill and round the bend from my place

Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus

Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus

Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus 
(getting after the sun-dried persimmons)

female Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans

male Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans

Yellow-throated Bunting foraging

White-cheeked Starling Spodiopsar cineraceus

Korean (Gensan) Salamander Hynobius leechii

  Things are changing out there. Maybe the spring birds haven’t arrived yet, but a good proportion of birds I’ve observed lately were acting ‘spring-y,’ if that makes any sense. Changes in numbers, distribution, behaviour…spring-y.
  The hills behind my house were buzzing with an uptick in such frenetic bird activity on March 7th. I usually struggle to crack the dozen species mark in these hills, but I recorded 24 species on a relatively short circuit in the morning rain and smog.
  These included species I hadn’t encountered in ‘my backyard’ yet, such as Siberian Accentor and White-cheeked Starling, and species that were seen in much higher numbers than usual for the site, like Goldcrest and Azure-winged Magpie. Numbers of the latter species were quite confiding, feasting on what’s left of the persimmons. It’s always a treat when I get to observe this charismatic bird, which has an oddly disjunct range (East Asia and Iberia).
  On the way out I examined a dead Korean Salamander (thanks to Dr. Amaël Borzée for the ID help) on a small road, under the watchful eyes of a Bull-headed Shrike. Poor feller, I’m sure we'll meet again in Salamander Valhalla. Wait, now I’m concerned that I’m destined to end up in Salamander Valhalla. Ah well, I’m sure there’s no smog there, so it’s all good.