2026-09-25: eBirding on Mara Island in Early Fall

 Fall migration can be very interesting on Jeju. It's not as dynamic as spring migration, but it can bring unique opportunities to see some species fairly well (Pechora Pipit in this case), and also simply enjoying the cooler weather after a hot summer.

I received an email from Marshall Iliff, one of the main members of the eBird team, letting me know that he had a Jeju trip planned to visit Mara. I met Marshall several years ago while he was staying in Korea, and thanks to him I am able to play a role in the local Korean eBird team as a reviwer for Jeju. Being very grateful for that, I was more than happy to meet up with him and show him around Mara Island.

We met at Unjin Harbour, and shortly after got on the boat. The boat ride itself wasn't particularly birdy, aside from an Osprey (or two). Mara was not exactly booming with birds, but we found one of his targets right away: Pacific Reef Heron. This was a Korean first for him, so rather exciting to get one so early on. 

I led him on the grand tour, showing my usual route. There was only one other birder there that day, who we met briefly and did the usual exchange of birding info. A Spotted Dove was seen by that birder the day before, but none of us could relocate it. Not exactly a rare bird in the global context, as it's incredibly common in China just across the sea, but it being a Jeju first I was particularly interested.

We found a variety of species, including several Little Buntings, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, a Black Paradise Flycatcher, and some Leaf Warblers (being as challengig as they always are). We did find a Great Spotted Woodpecker, which was found by the other birder originally. I only got brief views, but thankfully Marshall got sound recording which helps confirm the sighting.

Bird of the day really had to have been Pechora Pipit, with several flying over, but one landing in a tree right at our lunch spot on the south end picnic tables. This was a visual lifer for Marshall, and personally I'm always excited to see this species as they're not easy to get a good view of.

The return ferry had a few Streaked Shearwaters, but nothing really remarkable. We spent the rest of the daylight birding the airfield, where we found many Richards Pipits, White Wagtails, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, and an immature Citrine Wagtail. The Citrine was spotted by Marshall, and after examining the features carefully and comparing it with references photos on our phones, we were fairly satisfied with the ID.

All in all a great trip with one of the heads of eBird, and a pleasure to get to show him around a bit on Mara Island.

eBird checklist here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396046404

Pechora Pipit

Little Bunting

Little Bunting

Common Kingfisher

Black Paradise Flycatcher

Red-necked Stint

Bull-headed Shrike

2026-09-24: Hallasan Hike

A long day of pleasant hiking up and down Hallasan in early fall. It was about 3 years since we went up to the peak so long overdue. Plenty of nice wildlife including a Siberian Roe Deer, as well as many birds and insects. It was a bit chilly for the insects it seemed as not many were present, but did manage a new species of butterfly. I had a personal mission to look for some special plants up there, but unfortunately not located. A return trip next year is on the list!

Baeknokdam, the top of Hallasan, with water in the crater lake.

Male Siberian Roe Deer

Coal Tit

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Immature Brown-eared Bulbul

Eurasian Jay, seen near the top.

Eurasian Hobby, on the search for dragonflies.

Common Straight Swift

Birding on Jeju Overview Article

 This past summer, I was asked to write a brief overview of birding on Jeju Island as part of a birding locations series for the excellent birding website 10,000 Birds. This website features a wide variety of birding related articles from trip reports, guide interviews, location overviews, and gear reviews, among others. I strongly suggest checking it out for those interesting or already involved in birding.

While it's not a perfect write up, I feel it can be good introduction for those planning to visit and wanting to try things on their own. Please take a look at it here: 

https://www.10000birds.com/jeju-south-korea-profile-for-birders.htm

2026-09-13: Halla Eco Forest

 A brief evening stroll through Halla Eco Forest. It ended up being too chilly for butterflies and other insects, but I got excellent views of a Siberian Weasel roaming about. It seemed like a young on because of the darker fur and very bold behaviour.

Siberian Weasel

Some bird sightings of interest was my first Blue-and-white Flycatcher in this particular park, as well as quite a few Grey-streaked Flycatchers. Migrants, or were they breeding on Hallasan?

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Grey Heron

Last but not least, a close encounter with a Chinese Many-toothed Snake, a species only found on Jeju in the Korean peninsula, but of course ranges much further south through China into Vietnam.

Chinese Many-toothed Snake

Chinese Many-toothed Snake

2026-08: Summer in Seonheul Gotjawal

 I visited Seonheul Gotjawal often this summer to search for a particular butterfly, Arhopala japonica. This species is fairly common in Japan, but in Korea, this species is only found on Jeju and some southern areas of the mainland, so it's quite special in a regional context. Out of all the visits I only saw one once, and got very nice views of its gorgeous blue. Of course there were plenty of birds and other interesting insects found throughout the visits.

Arhopala japonica

Oriental Greenfinch

Graphium sarpedon

Rhyothemis fuliginosa

Black Paradise Flycatcher

Black-spotted Frog

Eurasian Jay

Grey Heron

2026-08-23: Late summer heat and early migrants on Chuja Island

I took a day trip to Chuja Island to try my luck for seabirds and to see if any migrants are around on the island. The sea was pretty good, with plenty of Streaked Shearwaters and Swinhoe's Storm Petrels, both of which breed on islets between Jeju and the mainland. A large group of Common Terns was spotted on the return boatride, as well.

Streaked Shearwater

Swinhoe's Storm Petrel

Common Tern

The island was somewhat quiet as expected, but got a couple Sakhalin Leaf Warblers (confirmed with call), Oriental Cuckoo, and a brief view of a Fairy Pitta (my first visual of one on Chuja). Not a bad visit, but very hot.

Sakhalin Leaf Warbler

Japanese Bush Warbler

Oriental Cuckoo

Orthetrum melania

2026-07: Jeju City Birds

 A few birds seen around Jeju City in July. Brown-eared Bulbul feeding its young in a tree right in downtown Jeju, Eastern Spot-billed Duck family along the coast, and a Pacific Reef Heron perched nicely in the harbour.

Brown-eared Bulbul

Eastern Spot-billed Duck

Pacific Reef Heron

2026-07-02: Dollarbird

 Dollarbirds are regular migrants throughout Korea in spring and fall, and fairly common summer visitors on the mainland of the peninsula. It's somewhat difficult to find them on Jeju in summer as it seems not many stick around. But, I got quite lucky finding a pair this summer in a rural area on the east side of the island. They hung around for several weeks, so it's possible they were breeding.