2026-02-19: Chuja Island

 A mid-February trip to Chuja Island to see what winter birds were around, as well as to soak in that amazing 4 hour round trip boat ride with seabirding opportunities. Black-legged Kitiwakes seen from the boat, as well as various gulls and loons. The island wasn't super birdy, but a large group of Eurasian Siskins, a nice Rustic Bunting, and a Red-throated Loon preening in the east harbour kept me busy.

Rustic Bunting

Rustic Bunting

Large group of Eurasian Siskins

Oriental Greenfinch

Eurasian Siskin feeding

Red-throated Loon - Look at that food! Wow

Red-throated Loon

2026-02-15+16: Jeju Winter Tour

 A two day birding tour showing a visitor around Jeju. Quite a bit of habitat was covered, which helped us manage just about all of the target species and then some. 

• The Siberian Cranes were still around and cuaght them at sunset on the first day. 
• Brambling, White-backed Woodpecker, and Grey-backed Thrush in Shinsan Park.
• Rooks, Daurian Jackdaws, and Smew in the midland region.
• Cinereous Vulture flying over Halla Eco Forest
• A pair of Harlequin Ducks that were still hanging around Gwangchigi Beach.
• Red-flanked Bluetail at the top of Eoseungsaengak.
• A small group of Baikal Teal with the usual group of Mandarin Ducks at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall.

Trip report here:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/477345

Brambling

Cinereous Vulture

Siberian Cranes

White-backed Woodpecker

Japanese Cormorant

Mandarin Ducks

Baikal Teal

2026-02-12: Seonheul Gotjawal

 A winter visit to Seonheul Gotjawal. Great spotting of a male Red-flanked Bluetail (but blurry photo unfortunately), a Goldcrest, and a nice male Pale Thrush.

Red-flanked Bluetail

Goldcrest

Pale Thrush

2026:02-06: Starlings in Jeju City

 Eurasian Starling can be difficult to find in Korea, but for whatever reason they seem to enjoy spending the winter in downtown Jeju City, sometimes just a few individuals, sometimes large groups. This isn't really a recent phenomena either, with records going back at least 15 years at this point. I have been pretty lucky to find them near the bus terminal for the past four winters, and sometimes other starling species are mixed in, such as the locally common White-cheeked and recently-common Red-billed.

Eurasian Starling

Eurasian Starling

White-cheeked Starling

White-cheeked Starling

White-cheeked Starling