New weekend, new island. This time around I checked out Chuja Island in the north (technically islands because there's two connected by a bridge, but anyways...). The ferry ride on the way there was good for the usual: Common Terns, Streaked Shearwaters, and Red-necked Phalaropes.
The island itself was busy, but not exactly popping. Black-tailed Gulls and a Pacific Reef Heron in the harbour of Sangchuja, and some various migrants in the forests of Hachuja. Some raptors were seen from the top hill, mostly Chinese Sparrowhawks, and a resident Peregrine. An Oriental Reed Warbler in the small fragments of wetland left (it's slowly getting eaten up by development), and various wagtails hopping about.
The return ferry was a lot more exciting. From the start, a Japanese (Crested) Murrelet was seen flying low along the sea not too far from the island itself. Do they breed around here as well? More of the usual late summer seabirds as well. But absolute highlight was a small pod of three Orcas / Killer Whales seen about halfway between Chuja and Jeju. I couldn't believe my eyes, and I'm so happy I was able to document it (somewhat poorly) with photos and some video. Otherwise no one would have believed me, not even myself! This was the first time seeing Orcas in the wild, despite growing up in Vancouver which is famous for them. What a whale of a time this trip was.
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| Red-necked Phalaropes, seen from the ferry. |
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| Black-tailed Gull |
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| Eastern Yellow Wagtail |
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| Grey-streaked Flycatcher |
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| Green-winged Teal |
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| Warbling Whiteeye |
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| Oriental Turtledove |
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| Eastern Cattle Egret |
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| Grey-tailed Tattlers |
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| Oriental Reed Warbler |
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| Japanese Murrelet (poor photo but I promise that's what it was) |
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| Orca! |
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| Three Orcas! |
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| Three beautiful Orcas |
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| Streaked Shearwater |
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