2025-10: October in Shinsan Park

October proved to be pretty good for fall migrants in the local park. Gone were the exotic summer birds that move through in September, and in came thrushes, as well as a few flycatchers and other songbirds still moving through. Rufous-tailed Robin was a first fall sighting for me, I usually only see them in spring. A Blue-and-white Flycatcher was still lingering around a bit, allowing for great views before winter hits and I have to wait until April to see their brilliant blues again. Pale Thrushes started to come in later in the month, as they usually do.

Brown-eared Bulbul enjoying a Loquat

Nice pastel colours on this morning photo.

Light-vented Bulbuls are becoming more and more common in the city.

Rufous-tailed Robin hiding in the shrubs.

A nice male Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Bull-headed Shrike

Female Grey-backed Thrush, still moving through in large numbers in late October.

Bombina Orienalis

Bombina orientalis

Pale Thrush, hiding not-so-well in a tree. They become a lore more numerous and brave in late November and onwards.

2025-10-17: Hanon Rice Fields Pipit and Wagtail party

I dropped by Hanon rice fields in the south of Jeju Island in mid-October. It turned out to be exploding with birds, especially wagtails and pipits. Eastern Yellow Wagtails in large numbers, White Wagtails, and a couple Grey Wagtails were on team Wagtail. The Pipits had excellent representation with great views of Richard's, Red-throated, and Pechoras. Some raptors moving overhead, and some Stonechats still around as well. On top of the birds was a nice view of a nice snake, Elaphe dione.

Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Richard's Pipit

White Wagtail

Red-throated Pipit

Grey Wagtail

Pechoras Pipit

Pechoras Pipit

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Elaphe dione slithering along. Oddly enough the birds didn't seem bothered by it.

2025-10-05: Eorimok and Yeongsil Trails on Hallasan

 It turns out a lot of migration occurs over the Hallasan plateau area in fall. A nice hike on an early October day with great weather had quite a bit of bird action. Red Crossbills at the trail entrance, and the usual Varied, Asian, and Coal Tits in the forest. Up on the plateau area via Eorimok to Yeongsil, there were large groups of Asian House Martins flying around, with a few White-throated Needletails mixed in. Eurasian Hobbies were feeding on dragonflies, and even one of the elusive resident Cinereous Vultures made an appearance.

Three Red Crossbills

Closeup of one individual.

Varied Tit, likely a younger individual that still has the darker orangey colours on the face.

Coal Tit looking majestic.

Eurasian Hobby with a dragonfly

Eurasian Hobby with a dragonfly

Asian House Martin

Asian House Martin

White-throated Needletail

Cinereous Vulture

Warbling White-eye

Eurasian Hobby

2025-10-02: Spoon-billed Sandpiper on Jeju

 A Spoon-billed Sandpiper dropped by Jeju in early October. This species is a very unique shorebird that has a spatulate bill, which it uses to search for prey when foraging. Thier numbers have fallen dramatically the past couple decades, with today's estimate at approximately 500 individuals. So it was incredibly fortunate to get such a close look at this rare bird on a popular local beach on the southeast of Jeju Island.

2025-09: September in Shinsan Park

 A few highlights from September in Shinsan Park:

• Personal first Common Sandpiper for the patch
• Two Striated Herons after a particularly rainy night
• Lesser Cuckoo (seems to be a regular migrant here in fall)
• Blue-and-white and Asian Brown Flycatchers
• Oriental Orioles

Common Sandpiper

Oriental Oriole

Asian Brown Flycatcher

White-backed Woodpecker on a palm tree

Oriental Oriole with a caterpillar

Lesser Cuckoo

Blue-and-white Flycatcher in the shadows

Striated Heron

2025-09-26+27: Spring Migration on Mara Island

 A two day-one night trip on Mara Island in later September proved to be a very successful birding trip. Mid-September to Mid-October can usually be pretty good for the more colourful and charismatic migrants, like flycatchers, orioles, dollarbirds, and some thrushes. This particular trip had two stand-out birds: Amur Paradise Flycatcher (my first time seeing one, and perhaps first record for Jeju), and Ashy Drongo (a rare vagrant). The last time I saw an Ashy Drongo was May 2021, so certainly happy to see that one. The weather was not so great, with intermittent heavy rains and generally high humid temepratures, but the fantastic birds made up for it.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Blue Rock-thrush

Dark-sided Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Amur Paradise Flycatcher: note the prominent demarcation between the dark blueish head and more light grey chest, different than the Black Paradise flycatcher where this line is absent and it's darker overall.

Amur Paradise Flycatcher, posing nicely.

Radde's Warbler

Zitting Cisticola living life on the edge

Brown Shrike

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Black-naped Oriole

Eastern Crowned Warbler

Ashy Drongo