"Historical post" - Jeju Island, April 2009

Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum

Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii

Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus

Birds News from Matt Poll, with Youngho Kim, and other ‘Birds in Jeju’ members
Southwest and west coast, Jeju Island, April 26, 2009
  A great day of birding, thanks to Youngho Kim of ‘Birds in Jeju’, who showed me a dozen secluded freshwater wetland areas that aren’t readily visible from the main road. At a former Japanese airfield now used for farming, great close views of two Oriental Pratincoles, and a Little Whimbrel got the day started well. Two Common Snipes and a Latham's Snipe, eight Far Eastern Skylarks, a Far Eastern Cisticola, and two Japanese Quails were also found in these fields.
  At a nearby wetland, 12 Cattle Egrets, two stunning Chinese Pond Herons, six Black-tailed Godwits, and 20 Wood Sandpipers were seen feeding close to a small road.
  A small beach on the west coast held two Pacific Golden Plovers, as well as 20 Red-necked Stints, three Long-toed Stints, two Temminck’s Stints, and a Little-ringed Plover. A Dunlin and a Marsh Sandpiper were seen in a nearby wetland. On a rocky part of the coast, about 25 Whimbrels, and a Common Greenshank.
A wetland near Gosan held four Black-winged Stilts, while a single Red-rumped Swallow flew low over the water in the company of clouds of Barn Swallows.

Yellow Bunting Emberiza sulphurata

Jungmun, Jeju island, April 25, 2009
  Thick undergrowth in front of an abandoned hotel held two Yellow Buntings. 

Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus

Brown-headed Thrush Turdus chrysolaus

Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys

Seogwipo, Jeju island, April 23, 2009
  Plenty of bird action in a gorgeous and quiet riverside park. Three Ashy Minivets (two males, one female - possibly the same trio from a few days ago) were spotted flying back and forth between tall trees on either side of the small valley. A half dozen White-cheeked Starlings lazily walked on grass next to a small stream, while four Yellow-browed Buntings moved nervously through riverside bushes. Best of the day was the nonchalant foraging of three Brown-headed Thrush in the grass next to the river. They reminded me a lot of American Robins in appearance and behaviour! The trees along the river were teeming with at least a dozen Asian Brown Flycatchers busily feeding. Two male Blue-and-white Flycatchers were seen along a nearby path.  

White-shouldered Starling Sturnus sinensis

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola & Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata

Seogwipo, Jeju island, April 21, 2009
  An agricultural field on the outskirts of town initially didn’t look promising for birds, due to the extensive netting placed over the fields. However, a small flooded area without netting held six Wood Sandpipers and a single Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. A previously spotted whitish starling reappeared nearby, and turned out to be a White-shouldered Starling. A Cattle Egret perched in a nearby tree. 

Mara-do

Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina narcissina

Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina narcissina

Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas

Mara-do, Jeju, April 19, 2009
  Sunny and windy on Mara-do, the southernmost point in South Korea. The small island is mostly covered with grass, except for a small stand of pines at the centre of the island. At least six Far Eastern Cisticolas were seen noisily swooping up and down from grassy fields. Some Korean bird researchers I re-met on the island told me that at least ten pairs breed on Marado. Six male Narcissus Flycatchers were seen, two of which were immature.
  Two Peregrine Falcons hovered menacingly nearby. One Brown-headed Thrush was seen skulking among the low pines. Three Eastern Crowned Warblers were seen in the same stand of pines. Three Pacific Reef Herons were spotted on cliffs. About two dozen Barn Swallows and Pacific Swifts flew deftly over the island. Several small groups of Buff-bellied Pipits were seen at the cliff’s edge, and single examples of Eurasian Hoopoe, Black-faced Bunting, Stejneger's Stonechat, and Pale Thrush were also seen. Five Streaked Shearwaters were seen from the ferry. 

Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana

Seogwipo, Jeju island, April 18, 2009
  A sunny stroll around a valley near Jeongbang waterfalls revealed some new arrivals to the area. Notable birds spotted included three Ashy Minivets (two males, one female), two stunning male Blue-and-white Flycatchers, and an Asian Brown Flycatcher. Many active and vocal Blue Rock Thrush were also seen.

(*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.)

"Historical post" - Jeju Island, March 2009

Hado-ri

Temminck's Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius

Stejneger’s Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri

Northeast Coast, Hado-ri, Seongsan-po, Jeju island, March 29
  An overcast and chilly day for a scooter/birding trip along the northeast and east coast of Jeju. At a small beach a few kilometres past the wind farm at Haengwon-ri, six Little Ringed Plovers scuttled along the shoreline. On every exposed rocky shoal along the coast, groups of 10-15 Temminck’s Cormorants could be seen drying their wings, with several Pelagic Shags mixed in among them. Five Pacific Reef Heron, four Little Egrets, two Pacific Loons, and three Black-throated Loons were also seen along the north coast.
  At Hado-ri, a Bar-tailed Godwit stood on a rock near the shore.Three Black-faced Spoonbills huddled with several Grey Herons on a group of rocks, while an Osprey patrolled overhead. The duck numbers have decreased since January. Five Northern Shovelers, about 100 Spot-billed Ducks and Mallards, a dozen Common Shelducks, about 400 Gadwall, perhaps 300 Eurasian Wigeon, eight Pintails, about 20 Tufted Ducks and a similar number of Pochard were seen. Seven Moorhen and about 150 Coot were mixed in among the ducks. One Hawfinch was seen in a pine tree, and a single Grey-faced Bunting moved among the reeds by the water’s edge.
  Near Seongsan, a Stejneger's Stonechat perched in a field of rapeseed flowers, and groups of Barn Swallows flew low aerobatics. Ten Bar-tailed Godwits and 30 Common Sandpipers worked the tidal sand nearby.

(*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.)

"Historical post" - Jeju Island, February 2009

Southwest Jeju Island

Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica

White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Black-throated Loon Gavia arctica

Far Eastern Skylark Alauda japonica

Kimchi jiggae, good for rewarming frozen innards

Bird News from Mathew Poll and Mike Balfour
Jeju West Coast, February 28, 2009
  At a beach near Moseulpo, a spectacular close view of a Pacific Loon was a treat, and several Black-throated Loons were also spotted. Nearby, a single Red-necked Grebe kept company with a raft of about 50 Great Crested Grebes. Also among the raft was a single female White-winged Scoter. An Osprey sat on rocks near the shore. In a field among old Japanese concrete aircraft hangars, several Far Eastern Skylarks were seen.

Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone

Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra

Striated Heron Butorides striata

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

"The Zissou," while hiking Oh-seung-saeng Oreum in Jeju's early days

Jeju island, February 14, 2009
  Stunning summery weather made for a great day of birding in Seogwipo. In the harbour, 14 Great Crested Grebes drifted together offshore, while two Pacific Reef Egrets hunted for fish in tidal pools using a wing-flapping technique. A single Hawfinch and an Osprey were seen near the harbour.
  Along several streams, about 20 Japanese Bush Warblers were seen and heard in the underbrush. A similar number of Pale Thrush bubbled noisily from paths into the undergrowth at my approach. The Striated Heron remains in its corner of a stream, and appeared to be eating insects from a mossy rock. A Common Pheasant, Common Kingfisher, a pair of Bull-headed Shrikes, several Green Sandpipers, and a White-backed Woodpecker were also seen near the stream. A loosely mixed flock of about 40 Eurasian Siskin and Grey-capped Greenfinch moved through the tops of nearby coniferous trees, while a male Daurian Redstart deftly caught insects over the stream at sunset.

(*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.)

"Historical post" - Jeju Island, January 2009

Seogwipo waterfront behind my apartment

One of Jeju's iconic but vanishing diving grannies, the tough-as-nails Haenyo

Jeju Island, January 30-31, 2009
  Tim Edelsten came down for the weekend in search of two grey Jeju specials - Grey Bunting and Pacific Reef Egret. The former wasn't found at a once-quiet spot near Jeju City, and we only got a brief glimpse of the latter the following day in a continual downpour. Was good to hang out with Tim though.

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

Chinese Grey Shrike Lanius sphenocercus

Shiwha (Near Seoul), January 25, 2009 (With Tim Edelsten)   
  I met up with Tim Edelsten on a frigid trip up to Seoul - meeting my fellow first Birds Korean after birding in Korea for years! At first he questioned my dubious headgear choice (may have been a rainbow tuque), but we got on fine.
  Usually quite serious, Tim practically levitated with ecstasy after getting scope views of two Long-tail Ducks. We also had a dozen White-tailed Eagles on the ice, a Chinese Grey Shrike, and a decent waterfowl assemblage, but my favoured encounter of the day was with an enchanting flock of Chinese Penduline Tit, which had Tim scratching his head and giving me the side-eye, ha ha.

Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Black-throated Loon Gavia arctica

Striated Heron Butorides striata

Eastern Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus

Warbling (Japanese) White-eye Zosterops japonicus

Seogwipo, Jeju island, January 17, 2009
  A glorious warm day for birding in Seogwipo. Over the harbour, an Osprey hovered and glided for several minutes, while a Black-throated Loon bobbed in the water close to shore. Two flocks of about 20 Dusky Thrush were seen in bushes overlooking the harbour.
  A short distance away, there was a lot of bird activity in a ‘resting place’ along a small river. Common and Green Sandpipers, a Striated Heron, several Spot-billed Ducks and a Common Kingfisher were spotted in and around the river. Both White and Grey Wagtails, and Olive-backed Pipits paced on the grass.
In the trees and bushes nearby, a Yellow-browed Warbler was seen near some Japanese Bush Warblers, while Japanese White-eyes moved actively through the treetops. 

Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

Common Coot Fulica atra escorting a Gadwall Anas strepera

Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus

Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus with Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia

Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides

Bird News from Matt Poll & Mike Balfour
Hado-ri and Seongsan-po, Jeju island, January 4, 2009
  Chilly and overcast, but a great day for birds, with 45 species listed. At Hado-ri, huge numbers of Eurasian Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Coot, Common Teal, and Temminck’s Cormorant were seen. Smaller numbers of Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall and Common Pochard were also seen. Several Dusky, Pale, and White’s Thrush were found in the scrub at the water’s edge.
  We were surprised to see a Black-crowned Night Heron and winter-plumaged Chinese Pond Heron flush simultaneously from a large ditch. An immature Greater Spotted Eagle circled above a small hill, while a Peregrine Falcon and Osprey hunted nearby. A single Black-faced Spoonbill paced up and down the shore with several Great Egrets. Eight Northern Lapwings and a single Common Greenshank were seen near the road as we were leaving.
  At Seongsan-po, similar large numbers of ducks were evident, with several Pintail and Common Goldeneye seen. A handful of Meadow Buntings, and Grey-capped Greenfinch were seen in undergrowth near the sewage plant.

Warbling (Japanese) White-eye Zosterops japonicus

Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis

White Wagtail Motacilla alba lugens

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone

Nun-kot - "Snow flowers"

Hiking Mount Halla

Seogwipo, Jeju island, January 3, 2009
  A beautiful warm and sunny day in Seogwipo. Thirty species listed for the day, five of them lifers for me. Noisy Japanese White-eyes and Brown-eared Bulbuls seemed to populate most of the overhanging trees. Common Sandpipers, lugens White Wagtails, Grey Wagtails, and Blue Rock Thrushes were plentiful by the harbour. Two Pacific Reef Egrets hunted patiently by some tidal pools. Two pairs of Great Crested Grebes could be seen a bit further out from the shore. Several Common Kingfishers, Little Grebes, Pale and Dusky Thrush, Bull-headed Shrikes, and Large-billed Crows were also seen in the area.
  Cheonjiyeon Falls held some interesting species, such as a single Coot, several Gadwall and Common Teal, and at least 30 Mandarin Ducks on the rocks opposite the falls. Several Japanese Bush Warblers were spotted amongst some wet rocky scrub, loosely flocking with Japanese White-eyes. Spot-billed Ducks and Mallards were plentiful at both locations.

(*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.)