2025-02-26: Green Pigeon in Jeju City

Exciting birding news on Jeju recently: A White-bellied Green Pigeon was found on February 25th by a local birder in a city park in Jeju City. Green Pigeons have been found in Jeju more than any other part of Korea, but they are still quite rare. Personally, this bird was top of my Jeju wishlist, so once I heard he nws I immediately made plans to head to the park the next morning.

Fortunately for me, the pigeon was still around. It took some searching, but eventually was found in a medium sized oak tree, resting right in the sun. A few other birders showed up and well got nice looks of this beautiful bird.

Of course, I couldn't help myself and had to visit again the next day, and once more on the weekend. It's not very often you get to see one of these green fellas on Jeju, especially one that sticks around so long (roughly a week and a half so far).  At the same time of this finding, two other individuals were seen in a park in Ulsan. Perhaps this species is underreported due to their very good camouflage.

2025-01-10: Jongdal

A visit to Jongdal bay area on the east coast in early January proved to be quite good. This area is one of the best spots on Jeju during wintertime because it's a sure way to find a wide variety of overwintering ducks, gulls, and surprise shorebirds. The wind was quite fierece this day, but luckily no rain, which made viewing birds surprisingly easy. The winds locked them down, keeping them within viewing distance, with no pesky rain to make difficult weather circumstances more challenging. 

Of the gulls, there was a Mongolian Gull mixed in, but didn't get a photo. Otherwise, it seemed like all the regular Jeju winter species represented here, including Common Gull, which isn't too common on Jeju. Saunders and Black-headed show up occasionaly but generally in single numbers throughout the year. Glaucous and Glaucous-winged also show up but seem to be even more uncommon (the latter being the rarest down this south).

Slaty-backed Gull

Vega Gull

Taimyr Gull

Common Gull

Black-tailed Gull

In terms of waterfowl, the usual suspects were present, in particular large numbers of Gadwalls, Falcated Ducks, and Eurasian Wigeons. Expected species for this place and time. Mixed in with the Wigeons was one individual that I assume is a hybrid American x Eurasian, with the prominant green on the head. Also present were a large number of Baikal Teal (16 individuals), a species usually quite rare on Jeju but somewhat common this year. A pair of Mute Swans were still around, first spotted in this area a month ago in early December.

Baikal Teal

Baikal Teal

One of two Mute Swans

American x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid (?)

 

2025-01-08: Songdang Gotjawal

This winter has been pretty good for Grey Buntings. I don't think there's more around necessarily, but rather I'm just spending more time looking for them. On this day I saw one female, and two males. Once again it took a lot of patience to get good looks. Also had nice views of a Red-flanked Bluetail.

Female Grey Bunting

Female Grey Bunting

Male Grey Bunting

Male Grey Bunting

Male Grey Bunting

Red-flanked Bluetail

 

2024-09-19: Jeju City

 Fall migration has really begun in full swing now, with a nice turnover each day in my local patch Shinsan Park in Jeju City. Blue-and-white Flycatchers are moving through, as are a few leaf warblers, Asian Brown Flycatchers, and Grey Streaked Flycatchers. Best highlight was an immature Cuculus species, what I'm assuming is a Lesser based on a few features. It flew in around the stream area, and caught a caterpillar. It hung around for a couple days afterwards.

Another highlight was a Striated Heron, seen briefly on a rainy morning in the stream area. No photos unfortunately, but seen well in the binocs.

Blue-and-white Flycatcher. Nice blue coming in on the wings!

Brown-eared Bulbul having a wash in the fountain.

Immature Lesser Cuckoo. I'm guessing Indian Cuckoo is excluded due to some of the red present on the feathers.

2022-08-18 Mara-do: the Summer Return

Last week I took a morning trip to Mara-do to catch the early parts of fall migration. Shortly after arriving, I noticed a small bird land in some nearby grass. I thought it was a snipe at first, so I investigated further to help work on my snipe ID. As I got closer I couldn't see anything, until I noticed small rail-like feet and a long bill showing from underneath a rock. I crouched down and got a better look and found that the bird was a juvenile Baillon's Crake, hiding under a rock. I got quite a bit of time with the bird before it made off into the grass. 

Baillon's Crake hiding under a typical Jeju lava rock.

After a while, the Baillon's Crake creeped out from underneath the rock.

Baillon's Crake in all its beauty in daylight. Not a common sight to see in Korea (or anywhere?).

Everything else seen that morning paled in comparison (what can compete with excellent looks of a crake?) but still plenty of great birds around. Stonechats and Brown Shrikes were somewhat common, Pacific Swifts and Swallows filled the skies, and even a mystery snipe (Lathams maybe?). 

Pacific Swift filled the sky, along with Barn Swallows.

A mystery snipe, possible Latham's due to the elongated body, taller stance, longer legs, paler colour, grassland habitat etc... but, still can't be confirmed.

Another shot of the snipe.

Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

The boat trips there and back were fairly uneventful other than nice looks at flying fish. The fun didn't stop there. While waiting for the bus I watched a Common Kingfisher grab a fish from a small stream.

Flying Fish seen from the boat.

Common Kingfisher, perched on a rock with its catch.

2022-08-13 Staying Cool in the Mountain Forest

 A nice visit to Seogwipo Recreational Forest on a mid-August weekend. No Ruddy Kingfishers unfortunately (darn!), but still plenty of nice birds. Highlights were three juvenile Blue-and-white Flycatchers and an Eastern Crowned Warbler mixed in with a group of tits and white-eyes. 

Juvenile Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Juvenile Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Eastern Crowned Warbler. Never noticed these in the summer before, but I never looked for them either.

Warbling White-eye being rather acrobatic.

There were insects throughout the park as well, including some very interesting stick insects.

An interesting stick insect.

2022-07-31 Boobook, Halla Arboretum

 After scouting around for a month and a half at the Arboretum, I had finally gotten a clear look at one of the nesting Boobooks. Unfortunately the weather was atrocious so I only managed some zoomed in shots with my point and shoot camera. But one turned out OK, and it'll do for now.

Boobook, with bright eyes (lit up by flash, unfortunately)

2022-07-23 Jeoji Gotjawal

 A nice hike through Jeoji Gotjawal by Osulloc on a summer Saturday morning. Not too many different birds were seen (more heard, rather), but many plants, insects, and even a Mountain Grass Lizard.

Mountain Grass Lizard

White-backed Woodpecker

Some sort of interesting land snail

2022-07-17 Hello Hado Jacana

 August was a little quiet, but one big highlight was finding a Pheasant-tailed Jacana at Hado wetland in mid-August. I was showing a group of visitors the birds on Jeju, and made an obligatory stop at Hado wetland. While searching for an Oriental Reed Warbler that was visible to show them (most of them were hiding in the reeds while clacking away), one of the visitors asked "what's that strange yellow and black bird over there?" I looked over and was astonished to see a Jacana walking (swimming?) in the brakish water in front of us. We all got nice long looks at this beautiful bird. They're regular summer breeders in Korea, but it's always a treat to see them, not only because of their localised distribution, but they're just so nice looking.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana strutting away

It wasn't having much fun walking on the seaweed though.

It stuck around for quite some time, seemingly unphased by us.

A quick shot of it stretching its wings.

2022-06-15 Drongos Drongos Drongos

On June 10th, 2022, the Jeju Wildlife Research Center (제주야생동물연구센터) found a Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectens on Mara Island, the most southern point of the ROK. This species has never been recorded in the Republic of Korea, making it a national first. The bird was caught for measurements, banded, and then released. Hearing the news, I took a trip to Mara Island the morning of June 15th. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but amazingly the bird was relocated within less than an hour of being on the island. I spent some time with the bird, taking record photos (at a safe distance), and admired the random chance of viewing this species at this particular time and place.

Crow-billed Drongo, Mara-do 2022-06-15. A National First for Korea, first recorded on 2022-06-10.

Crow-billed Drongo

According to eBird, the range of the Crow-billed Drongo is restricted to South and Southeast Asia. Southwestern China has the closest records geographically to Korea, with no sightings north of the Yangtze River in PR China, Taiwan, or Japan. So unless there are other sightings that have gone unreported, this is both the first documented record of a Crow-billed Drongo in the ROK and the most northern record. The species has been given a tentative Korean name 큰부리바람까마귀, roughly translating to Large-billed Windcrow (or Drongo), which I personally feel is fitting.

One of several media announcements can be read here (via the local Halla Daily): 

http://www.ihalla.com/read.php3?aid=1656477681728505044

Crow-billed Drongo

This wasn't the first drongo species I saw in Korea, nor was it the only one I saw this year! Around mid-May I found a Hair-crested Drongo on Mara-do. A lifer for me, I was able to get really nice looks with great lighting (it was a nice sunny morning). 

Hair-crested Drongo, Mara-do 2022-05

Not only was I fortunate enough to see those two species in Korea this spring, but also saw a Black Drongo on Chuja-do at the end of April. This one was perched nicely in a pine and on electrical wires just outside of the main village in Sanchuja-do. I've seen this species before but this was the best look I've had of one yet.

Black Drongo, Chuja-do 2022-04

To add to the theme, I may as well add the fourth Drongo species I've seen in Korea (and therefore all species currently recorded in the ROK?). In 2021 I saw an Ashy Drongo on Mara-do in early May. I didn't get the best photos but good enough to know what it was.

Ashy Drongo, Mara-do 2022-05